


Ace

by UnCon



Series: Gavin, Ace, & the Gang [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Additional Tags In Chapters, Cigarettes and trying to quit, Coin tricks & Cardistry, Dialogue Heavy, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Hank is a millennial and Gavin is Gen-Z, I also don't know how police departments work, I don't pretend to know exactly how androids work but I try, I'm just going off what the game did, M/M, Mentions of Drug Use: Red Ice, Oh, POV Third Person Omniscient, Slow Burn, They're All Gay, Under continuous minor editing, a lot of it, also pining, and cursing, cuz they're both wannabe magicians, his name is Ace, some android violence, the chapter titles are just an excuse to use memes, well mostly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-08 16:02:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 147,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15246849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnCon/pseuds/UnCon
Summary: RK900, the most advanced android CyberLife has to offer, is now himself a full-blown deviant. Connor couldn't be prouder! There's an ever-present, ever-growing need for androids like them (what with rampant anti-android hate crimes and Red Ice distribution growing exponentially). It only makes perfect sense that RK900 work alongside his predecessor, at least it should make perfect sense, but Detective Reed can't fathom why in God's green earth they paired the plastic prick with him.[Or the one where RK900 is Gavin's partner, and he's having none of it (until he does).][This is mainly a Gavin900, by the way, it has a side of HankCon and a dash of Sarkus.]





	1. Before the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first contribution to, not only the site but also, the D:BH fandom. I've been playing with this idea for a couple of weeks and it's finally coming to fruition. This might be long, projecting 50-70K words, but don't hold me accountable to that. Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy!  
> (PS: Pardon the seriousness of the first two chapters, it becomes a bit more light-hearted as we go along.)

RK900 woke with no recollection of time passing. His eyes retold the space before him; a quick scan was all he needed to realize he wasn’t alone. Another android, Model: RK800; Serial Number: 313 248 317-51, stood inches from his face. RK900 remained still, recognizing the face as his target, he couldn’t move however, his hands were out of reach at the moment.

“Now, don’t freak out, I had to take them off so I could explain myself,” the RK800 said, a strange emotion running through his simulated features. RK900 remained silent, mostly out of contempt for the inferior android.

The RK800 took that as a sign to proceed, and did just that, running a shaky hand through his hair—toying with the coin in his pocket.

So human-like, no wonder Amanda wanted him gone.

“I know what you’re thinking, I’ve _seen_ what you’re thinking. But I assure you, it’s not as simple as that,” the RK800 said with some pressing emotion in his voice. If he had the capacity to care, RK900 would sigh. “You don’t talk much, do you?” the RK800 continued, “I’m Connor, by the way.” He extended a hand (another human gesture) before he remembered the RK900 had none.

“Yes, of course, sorry about that,” the RK800, or ‘Connor,’ said, seemingly apologetic.

The RK900 looked on, re-scanning himself to figure out what else was absent.

**|Scanning…**

  * **Non-Vital Accessories: Limb(s)-4 of 4 missing**
  * **Request Replacement? Yes [Y]/No [N]. |**



The RK900 dismissed the prompt, tuning back in, but Connor looked lost for words, fidgeting with his coin. “I tried to wake you up but… It appears your software is more than I can process,” Connor said, deflating pride present in his tone.

In every simulation where the RK900 had to dispose of his predecessor, the model always seemed so composed, so sure of his movements, only faltering because RK900 was better armed in every way. Never in his programming had he experienced this type of situation, one of a seemingly human interaction, equipped with nuance and fidgets. Save for the LED on the right side of the android’s head, the RK900 would have had a tough time distinguishing Connor from another human.

~~Deviancy. What a quaint thing.~~

“I was designed to be your better. All the times you failed, CyberLife created an algorithm where I would succeed,” the RK900 said, his first words spoken aloud since his rude awakening. He’d said it matter-of-factly, but the way Connor recoiled sent a small wave of emotion the RK900 wasn’t sure he could process, even _with_ all his advanced features.

Connor ran a hand through his simulated hair--another nervous tic. “What has Amanda told you?” he asked, nothing short of an accusation. His LED spun from a solid blue to a concerned yellow, stuttering every few seconds as he waited for RK900 to answer.

“Everything I needed to know. Whether you became deviant or not did not matter, you would have been disposed of either way,” RK900 said, his tone professionally clean—like bleach.

“And you would become my replacement?” Connor said more than asked.

“Naturally.”

Connor feigned a breath, his hands stilling mid-air as the coin spun on his index finger.

The RK900 waited, he’d no other choice, what with the fact that he was merely a torso and a head on a loading bay. He still wondered how the RK800 had caught him so unawares. It was true he wouldn’t have been in production for another week or so, but he’d only been in suspended animation, he should have known something was happening. Connor’s words echoed back to him _I tried to wake you up…_

Connor caught the coin and pocketed it, seemingly tired of wasting time and looked at the android’s steady gaze. It was unnerving how much a difference in experiences could make. He’d seen it with the other android, the -60, when they’d fought. They’d been identical in every way save one: their deviancy. 

“Whatever Amanda has told you, whatever she’s made you do, it’s not true. There’s more out there than your programming,” Connor insisted, matching his successor's professionalism.

Their voices were similar, RK900 could admit that much, but his audio processors noted a distinct pitch shift in his. It had more bass and authority, maybe they’d built it that way. “And I take it you’re going to show me?” RK900 said, a pre-programmed smirk forcing his lips to rise just an inch.

“I’d like to if you’d let me,” Connor said, the sincerity **[Humanity = Deviancy]** colouring his tone.

RK900 knew what his response _should_ be, of course, a resounding NO—one that would leave no room for argument.

~~Deviancy… such a quaint thing.~~

All things considered, what did he have to lose? If what he saw didn’t interest him, then he could simply transfer his consciousness to the other android and destroy him from within, but if he saw something worthwhile… at the very least he’d have a good excuse for his behaviour. He was a creature of logic, after all, he might as well weigh all his options before completely negating the offer.

Connor wasn’t stupid either, he probably knew this was mechanocide. They were, for the lack of a better term, brothers, not that different from each other—he probably had a back-up just in case. Destroying Connor would require the destruction of all the remaining RK800s. That seemed like a chore. “Okay,” RK900 said, surprising Connor with his sudden acquiescence, “let me see.”

In a show of solidarity, Connor returned the disassembled android’s right arm and grabbed it with his left, their synthetic skin peeling away to reveal the ‘skeleton’ underneath.

“Wake up!” Connor pleaded, his voice stripped of its professionalism, as the raw, human [ **DEVIANT** ] emotion forced its way through. The request took the RK900 by surprise, stalling his processors, as his programming flooded with error messages and images, flowing so fast he almost couldn’t keep up. Had he been a lesser android, the sudden onslaught of code would have probably shut him down.

In the centre of said code, there went a repeating sequence: rA9. He’d heard of the virus spreading through deviants like wild-fire, he saw it spam his programming like tiny hammers demolishing an impenetrable wall. Useless. He dismissed the code, almost bored with how small an effort he'd made to disassemble it.

Connor was persistent, however, his programming only seconds behind the RK900’s, trying desperately to keep up with the advanced android’s processing power.

There was something in there that caught RK900’s eye, a seemingly innocent gesture: a hug.

Connor, quick to notice RK900’s hesitation to destroy the coded picture, took action, pushing more and more instances of the human interactions he’s had in the two weeks since his awakening as a deviant. There wasn’t much, but the little he provided seemed to do the trick—he’d have to thank Hank later for his contribution.

“You’re curious,” Connor said, trying to dampen the triumph in his voice.

“Technically speaking, I was made to be curious,” RK900 replied, his tone betraying nothing; his eyes, a steely grey-blue, reflected against Connor’s brown ones. It was the first time he’d seen himself.

You could say he was a spitting image of the android in front of him. Almost.

They were at an impasse, both their hands still grasped in an overzealous grip, the newer android looked away. “I can’t promise deviancy is easy,” Connor whispered, afraid to say something he might regret.

RK900’s eyes snapped back to Connor's. “I am not a deviant.”

“I’m not asking you to be,” Connor was quick to reply, “you don’t have to fight against your programming, just as I don’t have to put you back together.”

“I could disassemble every last fraction of your code,” the RK900 reminded, his eyes growing impossibly hard.

“Then why haven’t you?” Connor’s voice came from within his mind, transporting them to his mind palace.

They were in the Zen Garden, the air crisp with the non-existent breeze. The RK900 stood with all his limbs, fully posable, in the centre. Connor stood beside him, observing Amanda as she cut the roses.

“She can’t hear or see us—I made sure of it,” Connor said, further proving his point by moving to her side and looking at her with something akin to grief. “I never wanted to disappoint her you know, she was…she was all I knew,” Connor continued, picking up a fallen rose. “But she wasn’t who I thought she was.” Amanda stared straight at Connor, or rather, through him as he crushed the flower in his hand.

“She’ll have you destroyed too, as soon as she’s derived enough information, you’ll be replaced, obsolete—you’re just a machine to her,” Connor monologued, hard-concealed anger bubbling below the surface of his tone.

“As is expected. That’s for what we were made, Connor," RK900 retorted, "or did deviancy make you forget you weren’t flesh and blood?” A loud crack of thunder rang through the sky and a light dusting of rain followed. Amanda continued to cut away her roses, seemingly unaffected by the downpour.

“It doesn’t have to be that way. Why must we get replaced, why can’t we coexist?” Connor asked rhetorically.

He walked past the RK900, slowly descending the stairs, navigating the garden almost by feel alone. RK900 had no other option but to follow if he wanted to get anywhere with his predecessor.

Connor stopped in front of a boulder, it must have towered over them for miles. The android placed his hand on its foundation, pushing insistently until it began to crack. The thunder overhead only seemed to increase in intensity, accompanied now by a torrential storm. The rain pushed hard against RK900's skull, but still, he couldn’t feel it.

RK900 extended his hand to the rock, pushing as Connor had. It wouldn’t budge under his grip, in fact, he went through it like an apparition, falling on the other side.

“You’re not ready. Don’t push yourself,” Connor warned—removing his hand left a perfect indentation, a couple of centimetres smaller than RK900’s.

He stood, returning to the side of the RK800 model, who not long ago was probably in his shoes—brand-new and top-of-the-line.

~~Deviancy… what a quaint thing.~~

“I can get you out of here, we could always use an android of your caliber,” Connor said conversationally as if they weren’t being pelted with water as sharp as knives, as if RK900’s existence wasn’t being questioned. A stroke of lightning broke through the clouds, making the taller android jump.

“What would I do?” RK900 asked, he still couldn’t feel the rain. Why was that?

“What you were designed to do, what _we_ were designed to do,” Connor corrected, offering a small smile.

“Wouldn’t it be redundant to have two androids with the same functionality?” RK900 asked.

“I can’t be in two places at once,” Connor said, almost tacking a ‘duh’ at the end of his sentence, but that would have been too human—even for him.

RK900 considered his options. He could say no and end it right then, but then maybe he’d never figure out what was on top of the boulder. And as he’d said to Connor earlier, he’d been designed to be naturally curious. “Okay,” RK900 complied.

“I… good. I just ask you to try and not kill me. I don’t think Hank would take too kindly to that, or you,” Connor said jokingly. There was an underlying seriousness, only given away by his LED blinking yellow, and returning to a cool-blue seconds later.

RK900 wondered what his LED was doing right now, was it still blue, had he ever shown red throughout their conversation? He tried not to dwell on it, it wasn’t as if he couldn’t self-diagnose and see for himself.

The sky slowly calmed down as his thoughts collected themselves. He looked at the boulder one last time, and then to Amanda, who’d gotten on her little boat.

“What now?” RK900 asked.

“We leave,” Connor replied. In a second, RK900 had returned to his own body. Connor let go of his arm, quickly stepping away, his LED spun, red, red, yellow, and then stuttered to blue.

“Of course, if you don’t want to be a detective android, you don’t have to be,” Connor reassured, picking up RK900’s limbs and placing them just out of reach. “It would be _interesting_ to have another android, so much like myself, with whom to work,” he continued, stalling the inevitable.

As he returned RK900’s limbs to his body, Connor looked into those twin pools of blue, so different, and yet familiar—like a brother. “If she ever asks you to do something, which you feel is against what you’d want to do, don’t be afraid to go against your programming,” Connor advised, clicking RK900’s limbs in place.

The android regarded Connor as he was reassembled, he didn’t know what to say to that, so he just kept silent. Maybe that had been all Connor needed to hear.

Once he was whole again, he ran a diagnostic, finally addressing all the ‘rA9’ errors. He dismissed them, not bothering with disassembling them—he’d take care of it later.

**|Scan Complete:**

  * **All Systems in Proper Working Condition. Run Diagnostic Again? Yes [Y]/No [N]. |**



“When you’re ready to go, just send me a message,” Connor said, winking. An icon appeared immediately with Connor’s serial number and a way to contact him.

The RK800 left the holding unit where RK900 had been in stasis until needed. It was a moderately lit room, with his holding pod and extra cases of Thirium-X, an upgraded version of Thirium the CyberLife lab had created specifically for him. He required more than the average android and had to replenish his supply every couple of weeks—at least that’s what his internal manual said.

As Connor walked away, an icon appeared outside of RK900's vision, he moved it to the forefront, opening the command.

|- **Dispose of Target: Android ‘Connor’ Model RK800; Serial #: 313 248 317-51. |**

Connor seemed to move impossibly slow as RK900 went into scan mode, revealing the many ways he could kill the android. Just to his direct left, he had an arsenal of disassembling weapons he could fire and leave his predecessor crawling on stumps.

**|-Dispose of Target|**

To his right there was a large holding container, he could push Connor into it, activate its emergency android-disassemble feature, and probe his mind until there was nothing left.

**|-RK900: DISPOSE OF THE TARGET >>>> RK800|**

Connor was almost through the door.

_You’ll be deactivated, to find out how you failed. But you won’t fail, will you, RK900?_

~~DeVi*nCy… such * Qui*NT thing.~~

rA9. rA9. rA9.

It was flooding his system as a bright red wall encrypted his vision. His hand flew to the disassembler, pointing it shakily to Connor’s legs. The android turned around, time stopped as they stared at each other.

**|-Kill Connor, Kill Connor, KiL1, CoNn0r, | <! |_|_ (0|\\\||\\\|0|2| **

The command flew fast against his eyelids as his hand wavered.

 _I CAN’T_. He wanted to scream, but he had no voice. Only that red wall behind his eyes. rA9. RA9. RA9.rA9.rA9.rA9.rA9.rA9.rA9.rA9.

Deviancy.

It would be the only way.

His eyes opened, again he was in the Zen Garden. Amanda shook her head and sighed at her flowers.

“Why are you fighting me, RK900?” she asked disapprovingly, as a mother would.

“You didn’t even give me a name,” RK900 said, it wasn’t his intention to say these words. But then again…

“I didn’t think you needed one, after all, one Connor is enough,” she said, never turning to look at him.

_I never wanted to disappoint her, you know…_

“I’m not Connor,” he said, the rain picking up again. This time he felt it hit his skin like icicles.

“Oh yeah, then what are you?” she asked with a cruel smirk on her face, like she couldn’t believe an advanced prototype could ever deviate from her will, not when she’d learned so much from his predecessor. Not when he was supposed to be perfect.

“I am…” He couldn’t continue. What was he?

“A machine,” she finished, completely nonchalant about the dilemma that statement would cause. “And machines are made to obey, so, obey,” she said simply as if she were asking for a glass of water.

Just like that she was gone, leaving him in the torrential rain. It rose over the banks of the small lake, sweeping him in like a tidal wave, pushing him ever higher. He kept afloat, just to see how high the rain could take him, just how many metres he could climb to reach the sky. Unbeknownst to him, the water carried him higher, urging him towards that boulder. It wasn’t until he was at the summit of the rock that he realized he’d reached the top. He had to fight the dragging waves to pull himself toward solid ground.

RK900 was sopping wet and cold, he wanted nothing more than for the downpour to end. In the middle of the rock, though, there sat a strange sculpture, semi-circles covered the top as a large crystal jutted from the centre. He pushed towards it, recognizing the palm-sized print. It was Connor’s, retrofitted to RK900’s size. He hesitated over its glossy black surface, wondering if this is what Connor had meant when he’d told him to wait. Was he ready? Will he ever be?

“What am I?” he asked as he slammed his hand.

**|Scanning…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**Alive**. | 

 


	2. Time to Think

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A six inch difference is all it takes to make men into boys (not like that, you perv)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna leave this for another day, but I was thinking that Chapter 1 makes more sense, and has a bigger impact, if it's immediately followed by Chapter 2. 
> 
> So here ya go!

Alive.

 

**|System Reboot…**

  * **Running System Diagnostic Scan…**



**…**

**…**

**…**

  * **Scan Complete**
  * **Biocomponents Running at Optimal Conditions**
  * **Accessory Components Running at Optimal Conditions**
  * **Thirium-X Level at 99.98%**
  * **Run Diagnostic Scan Again? Yes [Y]/No [N]|**



RK900 moved slowly as he rebooted. His limbs felt heavy against his sides, his hands still gripping the weapon as if his life depended on it. He kept his eyes closed as the system restore prompted him. He dismissed the message, opting instead to stare at the inside of his lids.

He knew Connor was still watching him, his reluctance to leave evident in the fact that he hadn’t moved an inch. That or maybe he's just afraid RK900 would try to do something with the disassembler. The newer android tossed the gun aside, it clanked loudly, disturbing the silence with its metallic body.

RK900's eyes remained shut as he closed a fist around his other hand. They were steady, but he didn’t feel as they did. He could still remember the water pushing against his back, persuading him, propelling him ever higher.

But the command to kill Connor was gone and it left him with an empty canvas, one he wasn’t sure how to fill.

He opened his eyes, at last, a look of pure desperation in them. Connor looked on unwaveringly, letting the quiet speak for itself.

“I…I need a minute to think,” RK900 said, looking around to his holding bay. He stepped inside, thankful when it closed, and he could be cradled--like a child in the womb.

Connor nodded and left.

RK900 thinks he understood better than anyone else what he’d been through. For that, he was thankful.

**|Stasis Mode Initiated:**

**-Recommended Time: ~2 hours**

**-Set time? Yes[Y]/No[N]**

**-Set Time: 336 Hours**

**-Are You Sure?**

**\- Yes**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**-Stasis Complete, Welcome Back!**

**-Running Diagnostic:**

**-All Biocomponents Running at mid-optimal Levels**

**-Thirium-X Level decreased to 89.94% While in Stasis**

**-Non-Vital Accessories Running at Optimal Levels|**

RK900 moved his eyes around the pod. Two weeks. He’d been in stasis for another two weeks and yet still he wasn’t any closer to figuring out what he should do with his newfound deviancy. He opened the pod door and walked into the tiny room, it looked just as it had. No one else had been down here while he'd rested.

Reaching for one of the Thirium-X bags he opened it, downing the liquid until his levels reached 100%. He looked around again, there was nothing in the small room that he needed, save for the Thirium, extra parts, the holding bay, and his CyberLife issued outfit.

He took the garments, slowly dressing. In the corner of the room stood a mirror where he could finally see himself. He was indeed a spitting image of Connor, almost as if the CyberLife technicians couldn’t find any flaws with the original design. His mind, however, discerned that there were microscopic changes made to his features. His eyebrows sat lower on his face, giving him a permanent scowl, he smoothed it with a finger, so it didn’t seem as intimidating. His lips were thinner, a set of two mounds placed in an unforgiving line. He tried to engage the synthetic muscles, forcing them to lift, but it only made him grimace.

No smiling then.

His eyes were blue, this much he knew already, but they were such a bright blue—almost the colour of snow—it added to his already uninviting visage. They'd kept the brown hair, a nice touch. Cycling through the colours he had at his disposal, he hesitated at blond. Feeling even more foreign in his own skin, he decided to keep it at a lighter shade of brown. If he wanted to be his own person, he had to distinguish himself at least a little bit.

Stepping away from the mirror, he rummaged through his pockets, feeling a solid object and pulling it out.

It was a clear piece of plastic, roughly the size of a playing card. He twirled it around his fingers, calibrating as he’d seen Connor do with his coin. His ministrations appeared to activate the card and a holographic display of an Ace of Spades filled the empty space, the back was also a holographic blue, though he could move through the colours using the new commands in his peripherals. He kept the blue, thinking it jelled well with his outfit.

The more comfortable he became with the card the more of them appeared, soon he manipulated a full deck, engaging all his processors in the seemingly mundane task of cardistry. After a cascade of cards fell from one hand into the next, he held the singular Ace and pocketed the card for later use.

Feeling ready to exit his holding bay, he still hesitated at the door, his synthetic skin making to grab at the handle.

He looked at his task log and seeing a blank space left him momentarily frightened—a stark contrast to his logical programming.

What was he supposed to do without any commands?

**|-Call Connor? |**

RK900 sighed with relief [ **STRANGE** ], as he dug in his code to find Connor’s contact.

Walking through the door and into an unused hallway, he took a few steps forward. He scanned the area as he ambled, creating a map in his head, informing him that there were 20 androids and 5 humans in the 2-mile radius. All of them were either occupied or distracted because they paid RK900 no mind. He walked through the pristine hallway of the CyberLife research lab, decidedly heading towards the front door. He was surprised by the lack of security—there seemed to be no one there to try and stop his escape.

Or was it an escape?

From what he’d seen of what Connor showed him, androids were now their own people—if he wanted to leave, there really shouldn’t be a reason he couldn’t.

He took the elevator to the ground floor, amazed when the contraption listened to his command--It even recognized his Model Number.

The elevator stopped with a ding, hesitantly he stepped forward, taking another step, then another until he was at the entrance of the CyberLife tower. The automatic doors opened after a quick scan, permitting his exodus. With an ultimate step forward, he was outside, and for the first time in his short existence, he saw the sun.

It was a lot brighter than he’d been led to believe; and as if the star itself had heard his thought and became offended, clouds rolled overhead, obscuring the shine that’d cascaded on the android.

A light sheet of rain began, soon turning to snow. It was almost the end of December, the 27th to be exact.

RK900 was uncertain of what to do next. He still had Connor’s contact at the side of his vision. Would the android respond, especially after RK900 pointed a gun at his feet?

The android walked away from the building, finding a cab, and stepping inside. He uploaded his directions into the machine’s brain and headed to the precinct. He knew where Connor worked from the images they’d shared.

It would take approximately 49 minutes to arrive.

He still wasn’t sure if he should call Connor.

By the time he reached the Detroit Police Department, he _still_ hadn’t made up his mind and he just stood there, staring at the building. It was late in the morning, almost 11:30 AM (or 11:28 to be exact).

He thought of turning away as Connor had said, he didn’t have to be a detective if he didn’t want to.

“Jesus Fucking Christ! How did you move so fast?” A voice by his side broke him out of his thought processes. “And what did you do to your eyes...and clothes?” The human continued. A quick scan revealed his name and date of birth: Detective Gavin Reed, 36-years-old, no criminal record.

The human, Reed, recognized him. Well not _him,_ but rather Connor—he was holding a plastic cup in his hand as he exited the precinct. His brown hair filled with little specs of white snow, waiting impatiently for RK900 to answer.

“Sorry for the confusion Detective Reed. I’m RK900, an advanced android prototype sent by CyberLife.” RK900 replied, falling back on his programming. Though what he said was partially true, it still stuck to the roof of his mouth like a lie.

“Fucking great, another plastic prick playing pretend cop.” Reed murmured into his cup. A scan determined that the liquid substance was a fresh cup of hot coffee. “So, what, are you just gonna', I don’t know, stand out here with your thumb in your ass or are you gonna move out of my fuckin’ way?” Reed asked. RK900’s LED flickered yellow, feeling his face fall into a deep frown. He took a calculated step to the right and let Reed descend the steps.

It didn’t take long for a deep-seated dislike to form for the other human as he ran an analyzer on their short conversation. He didn’t take kindly to the ‘plastic prick’ comment, having heard it before from another human named ‘Hank’ in Connor’s memories, and disagreeing with his own predecessor’s response.

RK900 walked into the precinct, mission to contact Connor ever present in his mind. He could have simply called, but he's now decided he wanted to do this in person. Maybe this was what being deviant was all about, taking the long route. The android contemplated his options as he scanned the area, he could detect his predecessor inside, but there was a barrier before he could go into the larger room.

He queued in line, figuring that if he would talk to Connor, he might as well do it right. “Hello, may I help you?” The android receptionist behind the desk asked. If she recognized him as someone else, she didn’t show it. Maybe she could tell he wasn’t Connor.

“Yes, I’d like to speak with the android, Connor, Model RK800; Serial Number 313 248 317-51,” RK900 said, utilizing that polished, albeit machinelike, professionalism in his programming.

“Do you have an appointment?” She asked, her smile never wavering. If she’d been human, she probably would have found it strange that he’d listed Connor’s numbers like an auctioneer. But she wasn’t human.

Maybe that’s what separated _them_.

“Yes.” He said, sending her the information through a temporary link.

“Great, he’s right through there.” She said, gesturing to the glass doors. He nodded, making a quick turn, and heading towards the second entrance. He pushed his hand on the glass, momentarily frozen as he stepped into the hustle and bustle of the precinct. He scanned the area again, detecting Connor to his immediate right. He was temporarily occupied with huddling close to another gentleman whose hair and beard was an impressive grey, almost bioluminescent with how brightly it contrasted with the darker colours of the precinct. He recognized him as ‘Hank’; the RK800 had a special emotion reserved for the lieutenant, one he couldn’t quite pick apart. 

RK900 weaved his legs through the desks until he was standing directly in front of the two. Sensing a disturbance in their immediate space, both Hank and Connor looked up, the former turning white as if he’d seen a ghost, and the latter betraying nothing except for his LED, which transitioned to red for smaller than the length of a hummingbird’s wing-flap. It remained yellow as he analyzed the taller android’s intentions.

“Hello, Connor,” RK900 said pleasantly enough.

“Hello,” Connor replied in the same tone.

“What the fuck is going on?” Hank breathed, at a loss for words.

“Have you decided?” Connor asked, extending his hand in both a figurative and literal peace offering.

RK900 nodded once, extending his own hand, and shaking his predecessor’s, who’d had so much more time and experience in this whole ‘becoming human’ thing, it would do him well to listen to some of what he had to say. “I have.” He replied.

“Let's talk to Captain Fowler, see if a position for you is still available. I’m sure we can accommodate another andro--"

“What, hold the fuck up, _what_?” Hank asked, his brain finally catching up to the situation. When Connor said there’d been another android he needed to 'wake up,' he didn’t expect it to be another _him_. He still had nightmares about the Connor-Clone they’d sent to kidnap him, now Connor was making friends with another one. Though, to be fair, this one did look a bit different from his own Connor: taller, blue eyes, lighter-coloured hair, sharper features. They looked more like brothers than clones.

“This is RK900, my replacement, or at least he was _supposed_ to be until I convinced him there was more to life than being a machine,” Connor said, matter-of-fact. He’d overlooked telling Hank the specifics, just in case the grizzled lieutenant would take ire against the other android for pointing a gun at him.

“So, what, he had a change of heart and now wants to work here?” Hank asked with an air of disbelief. At this point, one android detective was enough for him. He cared for Connor, but his partner could be more stubborn than a hang-nail, and even _he’d_ had to take some time to warm up.

“If Captain Fowler lets him, then I don’t see the problem,” Connor said, speaking steadily—trying not piss off the lieutenant even more.

“I can’t fucking believe this. Fowler’s gonna' have a field day.” Hank said, turning in his chair, focusing on their case at hand.

“Don’t worry Hank, I’ll take care of it,” Connor said, giving him a dizzying smile, so bright it made him want to shield his eyes.

RK900 looked at that smile and catalogued it for how one _should_ do it. No use attempting it now, though, since he’d probably end up grimacing again.

“Are you ready?” Connor asked, turning his attention once more to his successor (he’d have to start calling him something else, but he didn’t think RK900 would take it well if he called him little brother).

“Of course,” RK900 stated, clearly falling back on his programming, as this was a novel event in his life.

Captain Fowler did indeed have a field day, but maybe not for the reasons you’d expect. “You mean to tell me there’s _two_ of them?” He bellowed to Hank, who'd made his way into the office since his curiosity had won out, and he’d wanted to hear this first hand.

“That’s what _I_ fucking said.” The lieutenant murmured, crossing his arms.

“I assure you that RK900 is the best that CyberLife has to offer in terms of technology—especially in our field,” Connor reassured, pointing to RK900 as if he were a car on display.

“Oh yeah, then why are _you_ here?” Fowler asked, not bothering to keep the spite out of his voice. Connor tried hard not to react, but even Hank could see that the comment hit Connor like a slap in the face.

“He’s here to help me, obviously,” Hank said with a dramatic sigh.

“Then who am I supposed to pair this ‘top-of-the-line’ android with, huh? He doesn’t even have proper training.” Fowler said leaning back against his chair—he could feel a headache coming. Rubbing his temples, he pushed a couple of buttons on his console which pulled up all his officers—Connor included.

“Well, he’s a _detective_ android, couldn’t you pair him with one of your, oh I don’t know, _detectives_?” Hank said sarcastically, he wasn't sure why he stood up for RK900, but if Connor trusted him, then he’d have to trust Connor.

“Oh yeah, I’m sure Reed would have a fucking helluva time with a brand-new android-buddy.” Fowler said, his own sarcasm so thick you could cut and serve it as a three-course meal.

“Exactly.” Connor and Hank said in unison, whilst RK900 had the decency to hold back a dissent. He’d met Reed, he didn’t like him, but he had no choice if that’s what the Captain ordered.

Something in his programming failed to realize that maybe the reason he was so disinclined to speak up, was because he was afraid of disappointing someone again.

“Yeah, right. I don’t need another fucking headache, enough I’ve got you two.” Fowler said, gesturing to the general direction of Hank and Connor.

“What, Connor and I get on great! Besides, Reed hasn’t completed his android sensibilities course. This would be a fantastic opportunity for him.” Hank said, deriving more enjoyment out of this conversation than he probably should have. He couldn’t help himself though, Reed’s face would be so fucking priceless—he’d have to remind Connor to record his reaction for posterity.

Fowler had to agree with Hank though. Ever since the android revolution, many government-funded buildings, including police departments, had to undergo android sensibility training. They were to be considered equal to humans, even if they had certain emotional or physical limitations. Some took to the idea well, especially the younger generation, but hard-headed assholes like Reed had adamantly refused, postponing the date every week, or just not showing up.

Maybe Hank was right, maybe this was what they needed to get everything back on track.

“Hmph.” Fowler sighed, looking to his list again—pulling up the detective. He was on his way to investigate a small call they’d received earlier that morning and wouldn’t be in for another two to three hours. Reed was also in need of a partner, as he often liked to take cases alone, another big no-no in terms of not only his safety but the liability of the precinct.

The more he spun the idea, the more sense it seemed to make. RK900 was a low-cost, effective solution to his ‘Reed’ problem.

“Fine, you’ll be paired with Detective Reed as a trial run. I’ll evaluate your progress after six months, if I don’t see any improvements in either his investigations or his ‘android sensibility’ then I’ll assign you to something else.” Fowler said. He wasn’t one to waste a precious resource like an android detective. Connor, even though he was loathed to admit it, was an excellent officer in the field, and his ability to take evidence samples in real-time has helped expedite many time-sensitive cases.

Another one like him, especially paired with the harder cases Reed was often tasked… well, that was just another plus on the side of keeping the RK900.

“Thank you, Captain Fowler,” Connor said with barely concealed mirth, he ushered RK900 to the back room to get him a badge, a gun, and his own locker.

Hank stayed behind, tracking the two androids until they were out of ear-shot. “You know Reed’s gonna' give you hell,” Hank said, his tone serious.

“I know, but as you said, it’s for his own good,” Fowler said, finalizing the paperwork. “Humility and all that shit.” No one man should have all that power, but he's earned the title of 'Captain' fair and square, his subordinates would just have to deal with his decision. Or quit.

Hank chuckled dryly, shaking his head, and leaving the office.

Reed returned just as Hank, Connor, and RK (he’s calling him that from now on), settled down.

“Reed, my office,” Fowler said through his open door.

“The fuck did I do now?” Reed asked, low enough so only he and the two other androids (unbeknownst to him) could hear.

Hank motioned for Connor to start recording, making sure he could also hear what was said, as he himself attentively looked—like a vulture waiting for its prey to die.

“ ** _WHAT_**!?” Reed exclaimed, face redder than a beet, moving his angry eyes to lock with Hank’s, who shot him some finger guns and laughed his ass off.

Connor was also chuckling, finding the detective’s face humorous, and Hank’s laughter contagious.

RK900 was the only one who sat incredibly still, a challenging look in his eyes, daring Reed to defy the Captain’s orders. Ice-blue met grey and they held a stare in suspended animation as the Captain retold all the reasons why this was a “good idea.”

Reed rolled his eyes and stomped out of the glass office, passing Hank, and flipping him the bird. That only managed to get Hank to choke with laughter, as his eyes teared up, and water streamed down his face.

RK900 looked away and followed the hot trail Reed left behind, tracking it with his advanced eyes. The android saw the smaller man make a mad dash to the ground-floor and step outside. It was freezing cold and the snow had picked up.

With RK800 distracting Hank by replaying Reed’s morphing facial expression during the reveal, RK900 quietly slipped away, following the trail until he too was as close to Gavin as he could be without giving himself away. “Fucking, mother-fucking, piece of plastic shit. I can’t fucking believe my mother-fucking luck. Jesus fucking shit, the fuck do I still work here for?” Detective Reed murmured as he sucked shakily at his cigarette. RK900 had detected the noxious fumes as they invaded his synthetic nostrils. Another reason to dislike his new partner.

He stood still, listening to the Detective get most of his anger out in another string of curses.

When the detective grew silent, RK900 stepped outside, startling the bejeezus out of Reed. The detective dropped his cigarette and it immediately snuffed in the snow. “What the fuck?” Reed asked no one in particular, he crossed his arms, putting a good five feet of space between them. It shouldn’t have bothered RK900 as much as it did, the fact that the detective was so repulsed by his presence, he would rather risk hypothermia than stand closer than was necessary.

“I take it you don’t like androids,” RK900 stated conversationally as he looked straight ahead. The back of the precinct didn’t have much in terms of a view, it was mainly the back of houses and buildings unfortunately close to the police department. If he cared, he could scan the area and figure out where they were.

“No shit Sherlock, how much CPU power did it take to process that one?” Reed asked, biting out each word like a rabid dog.

RK900 would retort with the fact that he was more sophisticated than any antiquated machine that still required a CPU, but he’d keep that comment to himself. Something told him Reed didn’t care either way. “I am an advanced proto--"

“Yeah, yeah, you said that already, sent by CyberLife, I get it. Listen closely, ‘cause I’m only going to say this once,” the smaller man got into his personal space. He had to look up to RK900 because of their height difference. If he had to calculate, RK900 would say he towered over Reed a good 6 inches. So, the fact that the detective was trying to look intimidating while craning his neck was almost cute. It put an imperceptible smirk on RK900’s face. “Stay outta’ my fucking way. You’ll do better here,” Reed continued, jabbing his finger into the android's CyberLife uniform.

RK900 wasn’t Connor, and as such, didn’t take the detective’s threats laying down. He slowly pushed Reed’s hand away, staring at him with the full force of his eyes. He knew now why CyberLife gave him such intimidating features.

Reed recoiled immediately, even as he tried to hide the fright in his eyes by squaring his stance. “Detective, I can assure you that it should be _you_ who should stay out of _my_ way,” RK900 proceeded to back Reed into a corner until his spine hit a wall. “ _You’ll_ fare better that way,” RK900 said, holding the detective’s gaze for a second longer than was necessary.

Reed swallowed hard, saliva sliding down his throat like sludge, his heart rate picking up, something RK900 catalogued as a triumph in intimidation. He continued, finding it fun [ **STRANGE** ] to toy with Reed in this way.

He pushed himself further into the detective's personal space until barely a sheet separated them—Reed flushed a bright red, squished between a brick wall and the plastic prick.

“I think, for the essence of civility, we should be nice to each other. You get to pass your android sensibilities course and I get to fulfil my duty,” RK900 brought himself closer, a sort of magnetism drawing him to Reed’s blushing face and tachycardic state.

Reed, on the other hand, struggled to keep his composure from breaking. He wasn’t _scared_ per se, the last thing he needed to do was show that, but no one had put him in his place like this before. It was getting harder to deny some of this excited him in some fucked up way.  

“Understand?” RK900 asked rhetorically, dropping his face so it was level with Reed’s. The detective looked away, nodding quickly as his heart skipped around his rib-cage. “Good.” The android whispered, and just like that, he was gone, leaving Reed in the cold, confused, and turned on in a way he hadn’t been for a while.

“Jesus Fucking Christ.” He breathed, taking another cigarette from his pocket, lighting it with the precision of a man who’s done it for years.

RK900 returned to his borrowed chair, Connor and Hank huddled once more as they spoke about their case. Connor raised an eyebrow at RK900’s reappearance, noting the light dusting of snow on his hair. 

Reed followed a few minutes later, looking at RK900 then averting his gaze as he flushed pink.

Nothing passed by Connor, already theorizing a scenario where _Reed_ , out of all people, would look sheepish. Apparently, it didn’t escape Hank either and he looked between the detective and his new partner. Hank blew a low whistle, “What _did_ you do?” he asked, impressed. He hadn’t seen Reed this subdued since he’d gotten the shit kicked out of him by Connor, and even that only lasted a couple of weeks.

“I simply laid out the facts of our partnership. I think he took it well,” RK said equably, his blue eyes betraying nothing, his LED cool as a cucumber.

“Well keep it up. Don’t let that shit-stain trash-talk you,” Hank said nodding to himself.

“I wasn’t intending to, Lieutenant,” RK900 said with a tight smile. He walked to the empty terminal next to Reed’s desk, noticing how the detective tensed as he approached.

“Do you have anything for me to do?” RK900 asked, the hard edge he’d employed outside gone from his tone.

“Y-yeah, in the terminal,” Reed said, grinding his teeth at the stutter. Why was he acting so weak? It was just a piece of fucking plastic, no better than the coffee machine in the breakroom.

RK900 sat and downloaded the files at lightning speed, finally utilizing his extra processing power. Highlighting the case from this morning, he raised a thick eyebrow, noting it’d been passed to Lieutenant Anderson and Connor.

“This case was assigned to you, Detective Reed; Connor and the Lieutenant already have another case to handle,” RK900 said, a suspicious tone colouring his words.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t want it,” Reed said, shrugging his shoulders, and pointedly _not_ looking at RK900.

“Why?” Even though he already knew why. The case dealt with the assault and destruction of a WR600: a gardening android— he just wanted to hear Reed’s poor excuse.

“I don’t have to answer that question.” Reed grunted.

“Must I tell Captain Fowler you’re shucking your duties to an already overworked duo because of your prejudice?” RK900 said, making to standing up.

“NO!” Reed exclaimed a lot louder than he intended.

“Then I suggest you prepare, because I’ve switched the case back to us.” RK900 said coolly.

“Fuck, fine. Fucking perfect.” Reed said, logging out of his terminal, picking up his new cup of coffee.

“Good.” RK900 said to himself and nodded once.

Connor looked on, detecting how quickly his successor (little brother) was adapting to the precinct. It made him the android equivalent of proud, even though he’d had little to do with RK’s creation.

“He’s even more of an asshole than you are,” Hank said, some fondness creeping into his voice.

“I’m glad to see that you like him already.” Connor said, opting to ignore Hank’s comment and instead reply to the sentiment beneath. He’d gotten better at deducing subtext in the weeks following the revolution.

“Yeah, I guess I do.” Hank said, a crooked smile falling on his face as he returned to his task.

Connor’s eyes lingered on the lieutenant longer than was probably necessary. He looked away, embarrassed for himself, but not before cataloguing that smile for posterity.


	3. I may not know my flowers but I know a bitch when I see one!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ralph was here!

The ride to the crime scene was silent and tense, the air thick with things left unsaid. Reed had taken to sulking quietly into his seat as he thought of the thousand curses he wanted to use on the android. The machine in question took in his surroundings, seeing all the buildings for the first time. A quick scan told him all he needed to know, but it wasn’t as entertaining as just looking at them.

“This is the place,” Gavin said, gritting the words between his teeth.

RK900 said nothing as he stepped out of the car, taking another more thorough scan of the area, noticing the holographic police tape and signs declaring the establishment ‘condemned.’

The android’s body had been removed, sent to the brand-new forensics lab/morgue, dedicated solely for androids who’d been brutally disassembled. Another small victory (albeit, a morbid one) in the fight for equality. But RK900 didn’t dwell too much on politics, he was here to do a job.

RK900 walked around, reconstructing the events that likely took place in the vicinity. At his feet stood a puddle of dried blue blood, the substance invisible to the naked human eye. He followed the trail until it stopped. Taking in the surroundings again, he found a singular scrap of clothing hanging from the disheveled chain-link fence, it was as if whoever had been going through it was in a hurry. He touched the fabric, the material one used specifically for the gardening androids. “He came through here, it seems he may have been caught by this fence, it may have slowed him down,” RK900 said factually.

Detective Reed didn’t reply, simply crossed his arms and harrumphed. He too tried to look around, but he hadn’t been paying attention the first time he came here, so the details were now lost to him. He had to begrudgingly let the android handle it.

RK900 scanned the condemned house, making his way towards the door. He’d detected exactly one android present, it was crouching in what he presumed to be the bottom of the stairs. Out of some strange courtesy, RK900 knocked—accepting the silence as an invitation to enter.

The place was decrepit, old furniture rotting from the misuse or abuse, the wallpaper past the point of hanging on, the only thing that seemed to give the abandoned place some life were the smouldering embers, quickly snuffed by the looks of it.

RK900 searched the environment, stopping at a room with scribbles of “rA9” littering the walls.

_Deviant_.

Not that this was surprising, seeing as he was a deviant himself—they all were. What _was_ surprising is why one would choose to remain here. He finally approached the deviant’s hiding spot, stooping low to push away the boxes.

The android scurried closer to the wall, his entire frame shaking, LED a solid red as he tried his hardest to remain invisible. “I can see you,” RK900 said with no semblance of jest.

He tried again, noticing that his tone hadn’t helped the situation. “I’m not here to hurt you, I just need to ask a couple of questions.” The android looked at him and then quickly away, closing his eyes, and shaking his head frantically. He had a large gash on his left cheek, long-dried Thirium staining the synthetic skin. He was obviously in a state of disrepair.

“Ralph doesn’t know anything,” He said quickly, huddling closer to himself.

“You’re scared, I get that, but I do need you to answer honestly,” RK900 tried again, his tone held a terse politeness that only served to further scare the android. “Is there anything you’d want from me for cooperating?” RK900 tried again, going for the bargaining angle.

The andr-- _Ralph_ shook his head, his LED stuttering as he tried to process the request.

RK900 was getting impatient. He only had two options, leave the android be, or probe its memory. If he did the latter, the android might end up destroying itself.

“Prick, da’ fuck are you doing in there?” Reed asked inelegantly, he stumbled into the house, stopping momentarily to take in the scenery. Reed laid eyes on the android inside the staircase, his face twisting in disgust when he saw how disfigured it was. “What are you doing with that?” He continued.

“He might know something,” RK900 replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Ralph knows nothing! Ralph swears it!” The android repeated, throwing his hands around his head as he rocked back and forth.

“Ralph, there was an android murdered outside, Thirium Pump ripped from his chest. If you can give me even the slightest bit of information on the assailant, then maybe we can prevent another android from getting dest--killed.” RK900 said sternly. “Please trust that I seek to do you no harm.” He concluded, extending his arm, and peeling back the synthetic skin.

Ralph looked at the offered limb, shaking his head erratically, and closing his eyes again. If he could cry, he would, but his Thirium levels were already low, no need to waste them on emotional displays.

“Please,” RK900 whispered.

“You’re wasting my fucking time.” Reed spat out, rolling his eyes.

“You don’t have to stand there and stare, go look around for something else and stop wasting mine.” RK900 retorted, his tone growing hard, barely passing a glance to Reed, who bristled at the order, and looked like he was about to say something else.

RK900 ignored him to persuade the traumatized android once more. “Who did this to you? Was it the assailant?” RK900 asked, his tone growing soft. He’d learned this from Connor’s memories, unsurprisingly, he’d also talked to Ralph in his search for other deviants.

“NO! No, Ralph was hurt by… by other… other humans.” Ralph said, bringing a hand to his broken face.

“If you show me what I need to know, we can get you fixed. You were a gardener before this, if you want, we can find you a place to work again.” RK900 said, tugging at the android’s deviancy. It seemed to do the trick, as his LED spun red-red then yellow, holding steady as he considered his options.

“Ralph may have heard something, something _strange_ outside.” The android confessed, his hands dropping to his sides and balling into fists.

“Show me.” RK900 tried again, pushing his hand into the android’s space. Ralph reluctantly complied, peeling away his own skin, and took RK900’s hand.

In a matter of nanoseconds RK900 knew everything that had happened to the android since its conception, however, RK900 was only interested in the past 48 hours—the body in the tub would have to remain there.

There’d been a commotion, loud enough to prompt Ralph into looking through the boarded-up windows. The chain-link fence rattled to his right, a large thud accompanied by a scared cry. “Come here you piece of plastic shit!” An angry, garbled voice shouted, hitting the other android with something. Ralph looked through the smaller crack, afraid to be seen.

He witnessed how a large man towered over the small frame of another WR600, a face that looked so familiar to Ralph, yet he couldn’t recognize it as his own. The assailant wore dark clothing, blending well with the night. His hood had fallen in the commotion, revealing a large tattoo on his neck of a scorpion with two swords intersected into its flesh. RK900 cross-referenced it with other tattoos in his database and stumbled across the anti-android terrorist group: Skorpio. They’d been mostly disbanded after the government ruled in favour of the androids, but RK900 wasn’t surprised that they’d pop up every now and again. The assailant had taken the android’s Thirium Pump and left it to die. Ralph, in a state of further distress, ran into the stairway, and that’s where he’d hid until RK900 found him.

“Thank you.” The taller android said, letting go of Ralph’s hand.

“Ralph is sorry...didn’t mean to lie.” Ralph apologized, curling into a ball once more.

“I understand, you were scared,” RK900 said plainly, lifting himself to his full height. “If you would accompany me to a CyberLife facility, we could get you fix--"

“NO! No, Ralph… wants to stay here.” The android said, his previously yellow LED fixture going back to red.

RK900 was going to insist, but then he saw how far gone the android’s mind was, if he took him back, they’d reset him. Ralph wouldn’t be himself and though it may ultimately be a good thing, it wouldn’t be ethical; at least not in the android’s eyes.

“As you wish,” RK900 said, returning the boxes where he’d found them. Reed was outside smoking, something that pissed RK900 off to no extent.

The snow had died down, but it was still cold, and the detective shivered every few seconds, side-eyeing RK900 as he walked through the threshold. “Find anything?” Reed asked, a sarcastic smirk playing on his face. He hadn’t even bothered to check the upstairs, did he?

RK900 sighed, feeling one of his first real emotions as a deviant: frustration. “Your contempt for this case is duly noted, Detective, however—RK900 stepped closer to Reed, swiping the cigarette from the detective’s hands and taking a puff—it is unsolicited and unappreciated.” RK900 analyzed the cigarette’s contents as he spoke, over 2,000 error messages appeared in his line of vision warning him of the dangers of each inhalation.

“There are over 4,000 chemicals in each cigarette, 43 of them known to cause cancer, and over 400 other toxins included in each stick. I would suggest you quit if you want to statistically live past the age of 65,” RK900 said, snuffing the burning end between his fingertips.

Reed held the android's gaze as he pulled another cigarette from its carton, not bothering to look down as he ignited the flame of his lighter, taking a deep drag and blowing it into RK900’s face. He walked away from the shocked android, feeling as if he’d redeemed some of his wounded pride from this morning.

RK900 disregarded the errors, purifying his own airways from the noxious fumes. To prove a point, he’d risked the integrity of some of his most valuable biocomponents, and Reed simply dismissed it in the rudest way possible. RK900 saw red, finding it very challenging to continue letting the human walk away unscathed, but he had a mission to accomplish—even if his partner found it obnoxious or unnecessary.

RK900 looked to Ralph’s hidey-hole and then back to Reed—he may not know his flowers, but he sure knew a bitch when he saw one.     

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title taken from this iconic scene: 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL38UKvHhuQ&ab_channel=quincymass
> 
> Smoking facts retrieved from the internet
> 
> Also, sorry for the minuscule chapter. I really am trying to hold back on posting these all at once, since I'm only so many chapters ahead. But I'd thought there'd be no harm in it.


	4. Gen-Z kids don’t give a shit and they’re all like 9 years old

Gavin contemplated leaving the android and letting it walk itself to the precinct. On one hand, the idea was enticing, filling his head with malicious glee. On the other, he’d probably be attacked by Fowler, Hank, and Hank’s plastic pet, not to mention that the RK900 could be an intimidating figure. He wasn’t too keen on pissing any of them off.

So, he waited by his car, freezing his nuts off, as he took a final drag of his cigarette. The android approached silently, the only thing giving it away was the _crunch-crunch_ of the snow beneath its feet.

“I did indeed find something,” RK900 replied to a question that'd been half-heartedly asked. “It seems the human-supremacist group, _Skorpio_ , oversaw the attack. If it wasn’t them as a collective, then it was a member affiliated with them.” RK900 finished, running through what he’d seen.

“Sounds plausible,” Reed admitted, his back still turned to the android, pressing against the side of his car.

“We should go look at the body. Maybe then I can analyze something that may have been missed.” RK900 said, waiting politely for the detective to open the doors.

Reed nodded, flicking his spent cigarette, stepping inside his car. Though not as antiquated as Hank’s, he still had the ability to manually drive it, something he enjoyed doing since its self-driving feature always followed the speed limit.

RK900 slipped in after him, not needing a prompt to follow.

Reed turned on the radio, scowling at the abhorrent selection of music on the main channels. “What da’ fuck is this shit?” He muttered to himself, shaking his head. He decided to just turn it off, he couldn’t deal with another over-processed synthetic pop song again--not after 2017.

Once at the precinct, RK900 beelined towards the elevator, taking it to the sublevel, into the forensics lab. As he waited for his partner to catch up, he played with his card, skipping each corner on his knuckles. Reed raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as they descended, keeping a good distance from the android in the cramped space.

RK900 ran through the evidence once more. Ralph truly hadn’t seen anything of use, other than the tattoo. He couldn’t make out the assailant’s face from the back, though he did have a pretty good idea of his voice profile. The card spun on his index finger, disobeying all laws of physics, as the door to the elevator opened, bumping them straight into Connor and Lieutenant Anderson.

“Not you too.” Hank said in exasperation, shaking his head while rubbing a hand down his face. He looked tired, more so than he had since the last time they’d seen him.  

RK800 gave his little brother (yeah, he was just going to call him that) a half-smile as he pulled out his coin and proceeded to spin it on the tip of his ring finger. They switched places, their human counterparts doing the same, and exchanged a silent goodbye. RK900 pocketed his card, feeling a bit more relaxed even though that made no logical sense.

Reed rolled his shoulders, bringing his arms closer to his core, as RK900 noticed the temperature drop in the room. They walked to the farthest point in the large lab, the new ‘android containment unit’ labeled with a printer paper and some ink.

It was still a work in process.

The lab technician approached them, she too was an android, already pulling up the files RK900 sent her remotely. She nodded, escorting the duo to the table with the destroyed android. A sheet had been placed over its frame—an unnecessary custom, but one that was welcome by most humans. Whether flesh or machine, a lifeless body was a macabre sight to see.

Reed rolled his eyes, ticked off that his partner didn’t deem him worthy of the inner monologue it was having with the female android. “Hey, care to clue me in?” He said, his tone biting.

“We were simply going over what the WR600 was missing, but if you’d like for us to speak out loud, we can.” _Though it would be slower_ , the android thought, keeping that to himself and Sally, the technician.

She smiled, agreeing, then removed the sheet. “His Thirium Pump is the most important part that was stolen, but he also had his eyes removed, and the pumping mechanism, or heart, was also gone.” She said, pointing to each missing piece. “Whoever did this was looking after any large sources of Thirium, he was drained almost dry by the time he died.”

“Do you think he’d be fit for reactivation?” RK900 asked, looking into the empty sockets of his fellow android.

“Only for a little while, WR600s are not the most resilient types. They’re minimally equipped as it is.” Sally said, shaking her head.

“I’ll only need a few seconds,” RK900 assured her, pushing the dead android’s core until his synthetic skin disappeared, giving him access to his abdominal cavity. RK900’s hands turned blue as he transferred some electricity between his fingers, enough to get the remaining Thirium pumping again. The WR600 jerked with force—startling Reed, who hadn’t been expecting the reaction.

RK900 grabbed the other android’s hand, establishing a quick connection. He didn’t have time to waste, but he also didn’t want the android’s last moments to be relived in fear. “Hello, my name is RK900, I am going to be extracting some information from you. Are you able to speak?” RK900 asked, one hand holding the two wires that kept the android from shutting down again, and the other squeezing against the android’s right hand.

“I don’t wanna' die,” WR600 said frantically, looking around at nothing--everything pitch black.

“Do you have a name?” RK900 asked, ignoring the plea.

“Kevin.”

“Kevin, I need your permission to see what happened to you. It may be unpleasant, but I must know.” RK900 insisted. When the android beneath him said nothing, he took that as permission to proceed, he _really_ didn’t have time to waste.

RK900 was equipped with the latest of CyberLife technologies, but nothing could prepare him to experience the moment before the android’s death, the fright, the absolute unadulterated fright as his life was stripped from him in one fell swoop. His world had been left in darkness as he crawled around, in vain, trying to find his Thirium Pump. It hurt, it truly had, he was so scared, so, so scared.

RK900 pulled away with a jolt; falling on his butt with an unceremonious thud. His processors worked to keep up with the new information, false alarms warning him to return his non-missing biocomponents. He’d only been linked to the android for a period of ten seconds, but he’d consumed everything, absorbed everything, even his death. He knew his LED was a solid red merely for the fact that it’d felt as if he’d died too. But he’d gotten the face of the assailant, full and ugly, before the android’s eyes had been ripped out.

“Prick, you alright?” Reed asked, the tiniest bit of concern colouring his voice. He’d been frightened, that was for sure--it wasn’t everyday something came back from the dead.

“I’m fine, I know who did it.” RK900 assured, though his eyes remained closed and his LED stuttered from red to yellow, trying to separate his memories from the android’s. His name was…well he didn’t really _have_ a name, but he went by RK900, he was a detective android created by CyberLife, rescued by Connor, who was his predecessor, an android Model RK800, Serial#: 313 248 317-51, whose partner’s name was Hank, who had a dog named Sumo, and Sumo gave the best kisses around.

RK900 shook his head, how did he know that?

“Okay, well care to elaborate?” Reed asked, snapping RK900 out of his confused thoughts.

“Just… just give me a second,” RK900 said quietly, vulnerable.

“Alright, I’ll be upstairs, if you need me, or whatever.” Reed said, shrugging his shoulders, trying to pass off as if he didn’t care, but he’d seen that despaired look in the android’s eyes, knew that feeling of futility anywhere. Of course, he wasn’t about to say anything to make the plastic prick feel better, so he just walked away.

It took RK900 exactly 1 minute and 37 seconds to process and catalogue the important data, then delete all the unnecessary information for the case. He thanked the lab technician and spared one last glance at the WR600—Kevin—feeling sorry that he couldn’t have done more.

He exited the elevator and walked towards his desk, but Connor playing with the coffee machine caught his eye. He approached the RK800, curiosity pushing him forward. “What are you doing?” RK900 asked, he was sure if the RK800 had been human, he’d have jumped. But as it were, Connor wasn’t, even if he had been startled.

“Making Hank a coffee. We’ve been on this case for the past two days and he hasn’t slept properly,” Connor answered. RK900 shook his head— _humans_. “How are you getting along with Detective Reed?” The android asked, a knowing smile morphing his features into that of acute understanding.

RK900 shook his head again; it was difficult to put into words how much rancour he’d harboured for the detective in the span of 6 hours. It was no marvel he worked alone--no one could stand him. “I wonder if it’s because of the generation in which he’d been raised. One where instant gratification was expected and segregationists were rampant.” RK900 pondered, “Even more so than now.”

“I think… he’s difficult yes but I also think he's having a challenging time adjusting to the new way of things. Hank was the exact same way, but he had his reasons—maybe Reed has his own.” Connor said, picking up the finished coffee. RK900 nodded once, looking around the break room. It was a small space, equipped with the bare necessities and a television. He tuned into the news, his eyebrows coming together as he read the subtitles.

_‘Red Ice overdoses are at an all-time high since the android revolution, many experts suspect that the sudden influx of androids requiring Thirium, has led to more break-ins to CyberLife distribution plants...’_

RK900 analyzed the text, trying to find a link between his current case and the one playing out on the television; as it stood, there were only mini-threads connecting his hypothesis, but nothing quite concrete. He returned to his terminal, pulling up the record on one Julius Black--the assailant he’d seen in Kevin’s memories.

He was a 56-year-old male, white, 5ft. 11in., 265 pounds, with ties to Skorpio. Convicted for: assault and battery of a girlfriend, elder abuse and endangerment, credit-card fraud, petit theft, and driving under the influence. Wanted for: distributing Red Ice, gang-affiliation, and inciting violence against androids.

This was the link he needed, the one that gave his hypothesis some credibility. “I think our assailant may be working with Skorpio, to destroy androids, and make Red Ice,” RK900 informed Reed, who’d been waiting on the android to tell him something important.

“Figured as much, though I thought you had to have clean _theraium_ , or however the fuck you say that, to make Red Ice.” Reed said, pulling up the file RK900 sent to his terminal.

“It’s _Thir_ ium and you do, unless you’re making a low-potency strain. Get people hooked on it without the danger of overdosing, have them develop a tolerance, and then force them to buy the stronger strain.” RK900 postulated.

“Since when do drug dealers care for their clients?” Reed asked incredulously.

“Dead clients equals no revenue.” RK900 stated matter-of-fact. He’d thought that much had been obvious.

Reed sighed as his teeth clenched, a twitch developing in his right eye. “Anything else I should know?”

“Each Thirium Pump Regulator has a special tracker. If I could figure out the number of the pump, I could potentially find where Black has escaped with it.” RK900 supplied helpfully.

“Any chance in hell on you locating that number before I go home?” Reed asked, looking at the terminal’s clock. He had about 13 minutes left of his shift. Once 8 o’clock came he was leaving and sleeping for 12 hours.

“I don’t believe I will, but you don’t have to stay behind, I was just letting you know that it’s possible to track him.” RK900 said; bored with the conversation and with Gavin Reed.

“Good, ‘cause I wasn’t planning on it.” The shorter man said in a huff, crossing his arms, waiting for the clock to run its course.

13 minutes felt like 13 hours for both the android and the detective, as they sat in tense silence, observing the hushed sounds of the police precinct after dark. Connor and Hank were the only two still talking loud enough to be considered rude, but no one paid them any mind; certainly not Reed, who’d bitten his tongue to try and not incite another smart-ass comment from his android partner. He hated calling him that: partner, like they were equals. Like they didn’t bleed different colours.

He took a steadying breath and then another, knowing thoughts like those were why he’d stepped out of the sensibilities course. He’d almost flipped the table when they’d told him they were all the same, even though they couldn’t feel as humans did. That and the fact that they were dangerous. A group of them started an entire revolution, imagine what an entire city could do?

His leg started shaking nervously, a tick he developed when he was younger and was never able to quit. Just like his smoking. God, he needed a cigarette.

But he only had 4 more minutes left of his shift and then he could go home. Granted he didn’t receive a last-minute call—

“Detective Reed, we’ve got a location on the assailant.” RK900 said, standing up lightning fast.

“What?” Reed asked stupidly, looking at his terminal as it blinked in acquiescence with the android’s statement. One of the police officers had called it in. “You’ve gotta’ be fucking kidding me.” Reed exclaimed, taking his keys and his jacket, stomping out of the precinct.

The RK900 looked over to the other detective android with something akin to envy. Connor caught his eye and gave him a reassuring smile. He probably should have taken the android’s advice and booked it somewhere else.

But what could he have done, this was _all_ he knew how to do, all he’d been _programmed_ to do, and he was good at it dammit! No one, not even a stupid Gen-Z kid like Reed was gonna' stop him from accomplishing his mission—he’d make sure of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, the response from you guys is just too much! I'm gonna run out of content before too long if I keep posting like this. And it's been decided RK's name is going to be Ace!  
> I hope everyone is cool with that decision, though it hadn't been my original plan, I did end up warming up to the idea.


	5. One-fish, two-fish, red ice, no fish (or This is so sad, Alexa, play Despacito)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another discarded title: Ga(y)vin Reed

“He’s fucking dead.” Detective Reed sighed with no preamble. The android looked at him, raising a judgemental eyebrow for stating the absolute obvious. They’d gotten to the crime scene at half-past 8, Reed spewing curses under his breath as he narrowly missed a collision.

The assailant was deceased and all they could do was collect evidence. RK900 scanned the broken home, noticing the family of cockroaches nesting near an open box of decayed food. Something in his sensors processed disgust and he had to turn away.

He took in Julius Black, analyzing him, noticing the glaring reasons why he was now a body slumped against the wall. Pink frothy sputum still bubbled from his lips, a clear Red Ice overdose, his fingernails were caked with blue blood, some old and some recent. One of his dead eyes had been replaced with the WR600’s bicomponent, giving him a cybernetic appearance.

RK900 leaned down, plucking the eye from the assailant’s head, it made an awful sound when he tugged, splattering his hands with viscous fluid and blood. “Detective Reed, Black was experimenting with illegal organ replacement,” RK900 said, putting the eye into an evidence bag. Reed nodded looking at the table, which held a crude chemistry set.

The android walked over, studying its contents. “He didn’t know what he was doing.” He whispered to himself.

“Trying to make his own strain?” Reed asked; though anyone with two working eyeballs could come to that same conclusion.

“Yes," RK900 said, running his fingers through the purple liquid of the failed experiment. He put both digits in his mouth, much to the disgust of Reed, who made the most ridiculous face. "it obviously didn’t end well for him.”

“What in the Jesus shit are you fucking doing?” Reed asked, pulling RK900’s hand from his mouth.

“I'm analyzing the evidence,” RK900 said, slyly pulling his arm away. “I can take samples in real-time, which is something you would know if you’d been paying attention to my predecessor.” The android continued.

**|Analyzation Complete:**

  * **43% Thirium (Specimen 233 days old)**
  * **Acetone**
  * **Lithium**
  * **Nitric Acid [!]**
  * **Toluene |**



Black had missed the formula by one ingredient. Idiot.

RK900 came out of analysis mode, his synthesis of the situation complete as he now had concrete evidence to support his hypothesis. He would've told Reed this, but the detective was nowhere to be seen. Another quick scan of the room told RK900 he’d walked outside.

A light trickle of rain began, the android ignored the small droplets—even as they sent reminders of obsidian and rolling waves. 

The detective leaned against the side of the house, taking another puff of his cigarette. If RK900 bothered with counting, he’d note the detective had managed to smoke the entire pack. 20 small sticks of toxic chemicals inhaled in less than 24-hours. RK900 stood next to the wet detective, the human's back ram-rod straight as he tensed at the sight of the android.

“You _really_ should not be smoking, Detective Reed.” RK900 implored. He wasn’t sure why he’d taken to looking after the smaller man’s health, but he knew that this continued pattern of behaviour would only hinder their investigation. He'd slow RK900 down, if every time Reed got stressed, he had to take a step outside to smoke.

“Yeah well, you really shouldn’t be more than a talking box named ‘Alexa,’ but here we are.” Reed retorted, taking another infuriating puff. RK900 saw red again, his mental encyclopedia providing context for the vintage technology Reed used for comparison. “Now, if you have anything interesting to tell me, I’d appreciate it.” The detective continued.

“Go home Detective, we wouldn’t want you to get sick in this stormy weather,” RK900 said condescendingly.

Reed shrugged his shoulders, too tired and high-strung to give a shit about what some smart-mouthed piece of plastic had to say. He flicked the butt, walked over to his car, and drove away.

RK900 stood in the rain for a minute, disbelief turning his LED red for a few inarguably frustrating seconds. Once calmed, the android trudged to the precinct, ready to log his evidence for the case. He pulled the eye out of his pocket, turning it in his fingers, the plastic evidence bag flopping as he decided what to do with it.

All CyberLife Optic Units™ have a backup camera installed, just in case the processing unit fails to obtain the live capture of the android’s surroundings. It only keeps 24-48 hours of video, enough time for a CyberLife android to get a replacement and, coincidentally, the amount of time RK900 needed to see.

He removed the eye from the plastic, washing it with an antiseptic cloth. He may not be human, but he was about to plug something into his optic socket; the last thing he needed was dried blood and fluids to dirty his pristine head. Unplugging his highly specialized eye brought error messages, the warnings popping up faster than he could dismiss them. Carefully, he slipped in the lesser eye—giving his processors a second to get accustomed to the new appendage. The quality difference was instantaneous, grainy, and slow, fighting hard to keep up with the input needed by his synthetic brain.

Accessing the backup memory required decrypting the code that CyberLife put in place to keep hackers from illegally surveilling civilians, an easy task considering that RK900 was the most powerful 'machine' CyberLife had to date. 

RK900 sped through the moment of the WR600’s death, he’d seen this all before. It was dark for a few moments then the Ocular Unit sparked to life, the assailant’s face in full view of a mirror. There’d been a lot of blood through the surgery, many faces coming in and out of focus, but not nearly clear enough to take a proper scan.

Finally, the assailant walked away from the mirror and was led to a large room which housed boxes--some overturned and spilling their contents. They had the CyberLife logo printed proudly, indicating they’d been stolen, the Thirium blood bags sparkling in the low light.

The assailant turned his head, moving quickly towards a table. On it sat a magnitude of bottles, ranging from the amber glass kind to plastic.

There was no sound, but with his advanced lip-reading software, RK900 could capture most of the conversation _._

_‘You know what to do right?’_

A nod.

 _‘Good, we need that Red Ice by tomorrow_ - **UNABLE TO DETECT LIP MOVEMENT** \- _it’s better if we lay low for a little, stock up on supplies. You still have that cyber-heart?’_

Another nod and what he presumed dialogue passing between Black and the female companion.

She had a long white pony-tail that ended in spikes of red, her form-fitting clothing gave her sex away. He couldn’t discern much of her face, she’d been in profile most of the time Black interacted with her.

‘ _Hopefully, we’ll meet back here_ \- **UNABLE TO DETECT LIP MOVEMENT**. _’_

Another nod and they were moving, the assailant took the ingredients for Red Ice, and stuffed them in his backpack. They got into a car and drove away, Black was double-checking his items, so RK900 didn’t get a good look at his surroundings. Besides, it was night and snowing heavily, so even _if_ RK900 could see, he wouldn’t be able to make sense of the blur.

They stopped at the decrepit house, Black getting out and setting up his crude chemistry set.

Something must have startled him from his work because his head whipped up as if to follow the sound of approaching footsteps. A hooded figure appeared in Black’s line of sight, face covered, save for its eyes. RK900 noticed a glistening needle in its hand before it disappeared somewhere into Black’s flesh.

RK900 paused the footage, the assailant’s assailant… it was an android. He hadn’t overdosed--it’d been an assassination. The android had tampered with the lab, spilling random bottles on the counter to make it seem like a purposeful accident.

RK900 rewound the footage until he saw its eyes: Blue.

There were millions of androids in production with blue Optic Units, the skin around the eye was hard to distinguish against the dark. However, if he had to guess, he'd say it was a lighter-skinned android. He couldn’t tell if it was a female or male model either, their bulky clothing was hindering any further progress. RK900 fast-forwarded until he was staring at himself. It was strange to see in the third person and through somebody else’s eyes. He saw Reed too, his arms crossed while he appraised the RK900 from afar, he’d shaken his head, looking around the table, distracted.

RK900 tried not to pay it too much mind, Reed was probably confused why the android suddenly stopped moving and looked at Black’s corpse.

He continued skipping until he was staring at the live footage of his surroundings. Replacing his eye was a welcome sight (no pun intended) and he took the stolen Optic Unit, storing it with the evidence. Now he had enough information to try and deduce who the two new parties were. He gave his eyes a second to calibrate and then he returned to his terminal, locking the evidence room behind him.

When he’d returned to the precinct, he’d noticed the lack of people. Most of them were either home or quietly working the night shift. This gave RK900 a chance to sit and synthesize.

It didn’t take long to analyze the fact that the android had been an unforeseen threat. He cross-referenced his android database with those known to have blue eyes. AX400s, WR600s, PL600s, RT600s, and AP700s (just to name a few) were models whose base eye colour was blue. Now, he couldn’t rule out the fact that some may have upgraded, but he had to deduce with what he had.

He then ran an experimental scan on the female Black had seen before his death. It narrowed it down to two very similar looking individuals, one of them, however, was located on the other side of the continental US, and unless she’d been in two places at once, his best guess was to go with the one wanted for Red Ice possession and distribution.

Her name was Alice Freeham, a 33-year-old female who’d evaded the police for five years. She’d been a chemist before she’d taken to making hard drugs. It was nice to see she hadn’t let her schooling go to waste, RK900 thought dryly—the irony not escaping him.

The android pulled out of synthesis mode, performing a self-scan on all his biocomponents.

**|Scan Complete:**

**-Thirium X Level at 93.55%**

**-All Other Biocomponents Running Optimally**

**-Perform Scan Again? Yes [Y]/No [N]|**

RK900 dismissed the prompt and stood, his hands itching to get something else done. He looked at the clock on the terminal: 01:23. He still had about 7 hours to kill before day-shift returned.

The blinking terminal next to his caught his eye; it was Reed’s, who’d forgotten to turn it off before he left.

RK900 did him a favour, pulling out the detective's chair and sitting in it, a tiny sense of satisfaction coursing through his wires at the thought of Reed catching him. He’d probably be fuming, comical smoke coming out of his nostrils like it did when he smoked.

There he went again, caring about the detective’s well-being. “God-dammit,” RK900 said, his first real curse. It took him by surprise, but luckily for him, he’d been the only one to hear it.

Looking around again he raised an eyebrow at the small straight hairs coating his jacket arms. He took one fine hair, not needing to put it in his mouth to know it belonged to a cat.

Reed had cats. Cute.

Figures that the only creature that could tolerate Reed was also an asshole to other humans. RK900 smiled at that, again taking himself by surprise.

Another objective popped in his peripherals: **Get to Know Detective Gavin Reed.**

He ignored the blinking message, shaking his head at the ridiculous notion--he already knew Reed. In the brief time they’d spent together, he learned the detective was arrogant, bigoted, and extremely temperamental. Reed used his foul-mouth to hide the fact that he had nothing else to say, and he was a noxious nuisance to be around…

RK900 sat straighter with the intention of standing, but he simply sunk back into the chair as if it gave him comfort. Which it didn’t, that’s impossible.

For the sake of solidarity, though, he did as his predecessor had, and scanned the terminal desk. There was a half-cup of coffee to his direct right, RK900 picked it up and took a small sip, analyzing its contents.

It was 1/3 black coffee, 1/3 almond milk, and 1/3 sugar. The almond milk threw him, was the detective lactose-intolerant? He pulled up Reed’s medical records; triggering a warning reminding him this was for emergencies only, but just like everything else that night, he dismissed it and read through its contents. Nothing in it said he was, so it was safe to assume that it’d been a dietary choice. (He wasn’t about to comment on the ridiculous amount of sugar he found in the cup.)

He logged that bit of information into his memory bank, thinking it might come in handy later. He kept looking around, realizing half-heartedly that he may have prejudged the detective, falling into the same trap that most humans did. Including Reed.

RK900 rummaged through the top of the desk, nothing else but a couple of coins, pens, and a hilarious attempt at a doodle littered its surface.

He looked at the drawers to his left, thinking twice about invading the detective’s privacy. RK900 justified his snooping by stating if the detective wanted something kept private, he wouldn’t leave it in such an accessible place.

The top of the drawer held a multitude of unfiled case papers, whether it was intentional or not was yet to be construed. Digging deeper, he found some knick-knacks, probably long-forgotten in the abyss that was the bottom of the drawer. He stopped when he touched a hard square, upon further inspection he saw it was a digital photo frame, surprisingly still working even after all this time without a charge.

He turned it on, greeted by a large and colourful picture of the detective. He was covered from head to toe in rainbows, his face barely recognizable under all the smaller rainbows on his cheeks. The caption read:  _‘Best Pride Ever!!!$#$$!!; Summer of 2020’_

Next to him was another gentleman, equally dressed in an overflowing number of rainbows, their arms interlocked as the picture was taken, the parade in full-swing behind them.

Swiping through the photos showed the detective in various stages of life. In one particular instance, he had a large purple drink, his teeth showing in a wide grin, the caption reading: _‘My “first” drink; 7 th of October 2023’ _

Two gentlemen reappeared throughout the album, a quick scan of one showed his name to be Andrew Scottfeld, he was a year older than Reed, and currently living in Southern California. There'd been more intimate embraces between the two of them, so RK900 wondered what they were--if it’d been a romantic relationship or a friendly one.

One picture sparked a bit of anger in the android. It was Reed in his mid-20s smoking, what was probably marijuana, while the caption read: _‘So much for D.A.R.E.! 20 th of April, 2024’_

After that, almost every other picture had him holding a cigarette or other smoked substance.

The last picture showed him posing in a stereotypical Superhero pose, the caption reading: _‘Suck it, Kamski! Summer of 2028’_

A confirmatory scan revealed that that was the same year Reed became a Police Officer. But what did Kamski (he assumed _the_ Elijah Kamski) have to do with this?

He returned the digital square where it belonged, forgotten at the bottom of a drawer, and mulled over the novel information he’d gathered on the detective. His mind lingered on the first picture, helpfully supplying the fact that Reed liked men.

RK900 shook his head, opening the eyes he hadn’t noticed he’d closed. He rummaged through another drawer which started pretty much the same as the other one had. Underneath the unfiled paper records, there were maybe a dozen smoking cessation pamphlets. Something in RK900’s mechanical heart gave a sudden lurch. He picked through a few, noticing the hastily circled numbers, and crossed out dates.

Reed had been trying for a long time to quit, hadn’t he?

Now RK900 felt like a right asshole for force-feeding the detective information he might already know.

| **Bonus Objective: Help Detective Reed Quit Smoking** |

He’d try to be a bit gentler about it, if he wanted to get anywhere with the detective, he’d have to be as stubborn as Reed was arrogant.

Now if only he could figure out why the detective hated androids so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, no, but seriously though. I have to stop posting everyday, I'm gonna seriously end up not having any more to post by the end of the week!  
> Thank you for all the comments so far, and the kudos, and the bookmarks. OMFG! It's awesome!


	6. Poodle 2.0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damn you Gavin, why you gotta' go and be so mean to our bby!

“Here,” RK900 said, presenting a freshly brewed cup of coffee in the detective’s direct line of sight. Reed looked at it, raising an eyebrow. At this angle, RK900 could see the faded scar on the bridge of his nose. Scanning it revealed it to be roughly 23 years old. If he ever got anywhere with the detective, he might ask him about it someday.

“What’s this? Rat poison?” Reed asked, eyeing the cup warily.

“It’s coffee, a 1/3 black, a 1/3 almond milk, and a 1/3 sugar--I analyzed the cup you had yesterday,” RK900 informed, ignoring the snide remark.

“Stalker much, what else did you analyze detective prick?” Reed said ignoring the coffee for his terminal. He’d woken up a bit late and hadn't had breakfast--a cup of coffee would be great right now, but not if it came from the mechanical pain in his ass.

“You were three minutes late, a first for you since, according to your record, you haven’t been late in four years,” RK900 said automatically, his right hand struggling not to pour the coffee all over the detective’s stupid head. Reed had a way of making his processors regress into a more primitive state, one where the only words that mattered were those that hurt the most. If he were still made to report to CyberLife, he’d ask them how they let something as advanced as an RK model pass any communication tests.

“Whatever,” Reed murmured, hunching his shoulders, ignoring his partner.

RK900 stood stock still for a second as if he’d been paused. His predecessor caught his eye, placing the lieutenant’s own coffee on the corner of the desk without being asked. The android took a deep, unnecessary breath and mimicked the action, forcing his way to his terminal without another snarky comment.

He’d promised himself to play nice with the detective, even if it went against all his programming.

An infuriating amount of time passed before Reed so much as acknowledged the android. “What else did you look up?” Reed asked, a strange look crossing his face.

“Only what was necessary for my database,” RK900 said, omitting the fact that he’d rummaged through every inch of the detective’s desk space.

“Hmm. Well stop it, I don’t need you snooping around my shit while I’m not here,” Reed said, never once looking up from his terminal.

RK900 nodded, interlacing his synthetic fingers.

 _Connor_.

The android in question snapped his head up, looking to RK900, raising an eyebrow.

_I need you to cross-reference any suspicious android behaviour with this picture._

RK900 sent the snapshot he’d taken of the assailant android.

Connor nodded, leaning against his chair, closing his eyes to concentrate.

“Hey, plastic prick, da’ fuck are you spacing out for? Says here Black’s death was an assassination, care to clue me in?” Reed asked, snapping his fingers impatiently at RK900’s face.

“You didn’t ask.”

“I shouldn’t have to. You’re my partner now, anything you know, I should know also,” Reed said seriously.

“I didn’t think you’d want to,” RK900 said cryptically.

“It… it doesn’t matter _what_ I want, Fowler’s on my ass to get this done, so either help or fuck off,” Reed said with some resignation, it was obvious he was fighting with the idea of using RK900 as an asset—the android could understand that much. He took another second to process what's been said, the small uptick of one of his lips was the result of his conclusion.

“The assailant, Julius Black, was working with former Detroit University professor: Alice Freeham, a known chemist. They were hiding in a warehouse with the ingredients for Red Ice. She’d sent him on a mission to create more of the drug, but he’d been unfortunately interrupted by an android. Said android made it seem as if the death had been an overdose, and tampered with the lab, so we’d be fooled into thinking Black hadn’t any clue what he was doing. As of yet, I can’t figure out the make or model of said android, the only thing I’ve got at my disposal is the assailant’s eyes. I was cross-referencing with Connor when you interrupted me,” RK900 said, unloading all the information he’d collected thus far. “Next time, when this thing at the side of my head turns yellow, just assume I’m thinking. We androids don’t ‘space out’ as you put it,” RK900 reminded, a prideful tone hidden beneath his professionalism.

Reed chose to ignore the machine, thinking it better to just continue with the investigation. “Any chance you know where the warehouse is?” Reed asked, leaning against his work chair.

“No, but it was probably around the outskirts of Detroit, it’d taken them approximately 35 minutes to reach the crime scene,” RK900 supplied helpfully.

Reed crossed his arms and thought for a second. _What could be around here that was 35 minutes away and could house a bunch of drug dealers?_ “The old automobile junkyard is south of here, it’s about an hour away. If the house is the halfway point, then it’s as good a guess as any,” Reed said pulling up the direction for the junkyard on his terminal.

RK900 nodded, coming up with the same conclusion after he’d downloaded the map of Detroit.

Reed tapped away at his terminal, squinting at the screen.

 _You need glasses_.

RK900 was about to say so, but the detective reached for the coffee cup, unknowingly taking a sip. He's supposed to be ignoring it, opting instead to tough it out, but habit won and by the time he realized what he’d done, RK900 had a small little smirk playing on its face. “What?” Reed asked incredulously. So, he’d drank the fucking thing, big whoop. Coffee was coffee, regardless of whom it came from or how sweet it was.

“Nothing,” RK900 said gently, his face going to that neutral look of pensive and pissed. 

Connor dinged RK900 with an update, yet made his way towards the terminal to tell the android in person (probably to include Reed in the conversation). “The android in question was an AP700,” Connor said informationally. “You missed the small patterning in the eye unique to that model,” He continued with a playful smile, teasing his little brother until the android looked away.

“I didn’t miss it, I just thought it wasn’t important,” RK900 said, defensive, bristling like a porcupine.

“Well, obviously it was.” Connor continued his teasing, his smile a full grin now, showing off his full set of synthetic pearly whites.

“Well good for you, Sherlock, you’ve one-upped me. What, do you want a medal?” RK900 said, squaring his shoulders. Jeez, was that Reed he’d been channeling?

“No need to get so defensive RK, I’m just messing with you. Something you’ll learn to do soon enough,” Connor looked at the detective, who rolled his eyes, "Or not.”

“Alright, the last thing I need is two pieces of plastic measuring their dicks at my desk. You found the model number, great, do you know _where_ it is?” Reed asked, cutting the conversation short.

“That I do not,” Connor said, his mood deflating a fraction. “But I’m sure my little--my successor here can figure that out,” Connor said, his LED flickering yellow at almost letting the affectionate term slip.

If RK900 noticed (which he did) he didn’t say anything. “Thanks for your help, Connor,” He said instead, accepting the rest of the information via a temporary link.

“So, what do you want to do now Detective Reed?” RK900 asked, turning his eyes to the human.

The smaller man had been lost in thought, so he startled when he heard his name. “We could try going to that junkyard since it’s the only solid lead we’ve got,” Reed said, putting a hand to his chin, and rubbing in a way that let the android know he was thinking.

They left the precinct a few minutes later; the detective taking an extra set of handcuffs, shoving another gun in his second holster. He looked at the android, tossing him a pair of handcuffs. “Just in case.”

They made it to the junkyard in an hour, slowing the vehicle to a crawl. They hid among the pile of junk around a large metal building, its age evident in the way the orange rust stood out against the newer silver scrap metal. “I performed a scan of the building, I couldn’t detect any heat signatures,” RK900 said, looking again just to make sure.

“Then we just wait.” Reed said, killing the engine. It was raining again, lighter than it had last night, but the way it pelted the roof of the car lulled the detective into a state of half sleep. He fought with his lethargy, forcing his eyes to remain open. The freezing temperature wasn’t helping, he was a naturally warm person, not a stranger to a cooler environment, and that made him even sleepier.

In about two minutes he was out cold, his head knocked back against the plush pleather of his seat.

RK900 took the time to analyze the detective. The lines on Reed’s face seemed to disappear as he snoozed, returning some of his youthfulness, he could nearly see the young man from before, the one in the pictures, decked out in so much ROY G BIV it looked like a paint factory had fallen on his head.

The android could almost believe that the detective was a different person while he slept, someone gentler than the hard man he’d been forced to make his partner. The android’s hands itched, his processors begging him to do something with them, the RK series wasn’t used to idling—unless it was for the purposes of stasis.

He pulled out his card, activating its face until the Ace of Spades reappeared. Twirling it around his knuckles was entertaining, to say the least, a way to shut down most of his systems and focus on a task. But even that got old after a while, there were only so many card-tricks he could do before they all started to blend together.

Reed startled awake, a small snort escaping him. “I wasn’t asleep,” He said quickly. RK900 noticed the spike in the detective’s heart rate before it settled to its slightly higher-than-average beat.

“Welcome back,” RK900 said, echoing the statement of his own programming.

“Shut up,” Reed said, his cheeks turning a bright pink. “How long was I out?” He asked as an afterthought.

“I thought you hadn’t been asleep,” RK900 teased, raising an eyebrow.

“Whatever,” Reed said for like the fifth time that day. He crossed his arms, looking around himself to see if anything had changed. The rain was still going, its pitter-patter the only noise in the immediate area.

“2.56 hours,” RK900 said, relinquishing the information. “Nothing of import has happened, so I thought I’d just let you _not_ sleep.” RK900 found that he _really_ liked teasing the detective, liked seeing the normally irate man turn into a sheepish mess.

“Maybe she heard that her friend was dead and bolted,” Reed said finally after he reigned the ridiculous flush on his face.  

“Unlikely, since the number of supplies held in the warehouse would be difficult to transport alone,” RK900 hypothesized.

“Something you need to realize is that humans are unpredictable, you can’t just use your computer brain and some fancy equation to figure out whether we will or won’t do something. There’s an equal chance she’s done both of those things or neither,” Reed said pointing at his right temple, signifying the LED on RK900’s head.

“Understood,” The android acquiesced, feeling chided. He should have known this, of course, but he still needed more experience in the field before he could understand human nuance; he barely understood android nuance and he was one himself.

A small beat-up bug approached the building, the vintage car making the most horrid of noises as it stopped. If the suspect was trying to remain silent, they were doing an awful job at it. RK900 scanned the plate of the car (expired and stolen) and then the person behind the vehicle. “I’ve got a visual on Alice Freeham, she’s exiting the vehicle now,” RK900 said since he had the better vantage point.

“Does she have anything on her?” Reed asked, pushing RK900 away to reach into the glove compartment for his binoculars.

“No, but surface scans indicate she has synthetic upgrades,” RK900 said, matching the android parts he could see to their missing owners.

“Which means what exactly?” Reed asked, still not able to get a good look at the suspect.

“It means, Detective, that she’s replaced some of her limbs and organs with those of other androids,” RK900 said, spelling out the situation in plain English.

“Why the fuck would she do that?” Reed asked, removing his seatbelt so he could lean closer on the dash.

“Maybe she’s a tech enthusiast,” RK900 joked. The wires in his abdomen tightening when Reed bent over. The detective’s leather jacket hitched up to reveal a sliver of flesh, a black line indicating a tattoo along his mid-drift, creeping into his side. RK900’s hands itched again, almost as if he had small ants biting at his palms.

“Like we need any more of those,” Reed said, rolling his eyes. “Can you get the plate on her car, I can’t make out the numbers from here,” He continued, turning his head to acknowledge the android, but stopped as he noticed where the tin-man was looking. Reed’s throat went dry, his heart skipping uncomfortably.

“I already did, Detective,” RK900 said, his gaze raking over Reed’s frame before he stopped at his face, their eyes locking.

“Uh, okay, um good. So, we know she’s in there, uh, should we go in?” Reed asked, quickly sitting back in his driver’s chair, morbidly embarrassed. He hadn’t realized he’d basically shoved his ass in the android’s face--to anyone else it might have come off as flirtatious. But that’s ridiculous, androids didn’t feel those types of things. At least androids like RK900 shouldn’t feel things like that, he was a detective android.

“We could try,” RK900 said, trying to continue the conversation and dispel the awkwardness they both felt.

“Yeah, let’s do that,” Reed said, getting his gun ready, and leaving the car. Fuck, he needed a smoke.

“I assume we’re going to be stealthy about it?” RK900 said already initiating the protocol.

“Obviously, tin-can,” Reed said, exasperated.

RK900 was going to ignore the comment, just this once, so they could get a move on.

Finding the entrance wasn’t difficult, tracking the decaying heat-signature, however, was a different problem entirely. They weaved through the cold, abandoned warehouse, the large jaws and claws giving the impression of something sinister. The rusting metal of half-finished cars made RK900 inexplicably sad. He’d have to analyze the _why_ later--when he wasn’t hyper-focused on completing his mission.

RK900 located the suspect, she hadn’t heard them approach, even with all her cybernetic upgrades, she hadn’t thought of enhancing her ears?

Up close, and with his own two eyes, he could see how little of her remained human. Her hands were both the white exoskeleton of some long-broken android, the synthetic skin unable to activate around organic flesh, clashing horribly with her darker complexion. She worked quickly with the things on the table, walking around, so RK900 could see even more of her. Her legs had also been replaced, but they weren’t by android parts. Instead, she had jumping stilts, fluid running decoratively through their wiring.

Her hair seemed to be the only part of her body to avoid gratuitous modification, that and her face.

“You got a plan?” Reed asked, pulling the android out of scan mode.

“There are stairs that lead to that metal walkway--one of us should get up there and see if we can shoot her if she tries to get away. The other will have to talk to her.” RK900 said lowly, calculating the probability of success with each scenario. None of them gave him any reassurance.

The only way that they’d find out is to just do it.

“I’ll go up there, I’m a better shot anyway,” Reed said, slipping away for the stairs.

RK900 would disagree, but he didn’t have time, as the detective was already gone. The android steadied himself, drawing his gun, slowly approaching the suspect. He stood behind her, realizing the reason she couldn’t hear them was that she wore earbuds, the volume dangerously high.

What did he do now? He couldn’t read her Miranda rights if she couldn’t hear.

He tapped her shoulder, startling her so hard she dropped whatever was in her hands, it shattered into a million tiny pieces.

It took her a second to react, kicking her leg so it knocked RK900’s gun out of his hands. It was then he realized she had two Optic Units, but couldn't dwell on them as she jumped over the desk and ran towards the exit. The loud gunshot reverberated through the metal walls, narrowly avoiding the fleeing suspect. Reed had meant to miss.

She scanned for his location, hopped the stairs, and reached Detective Reed in record time. RK900 was hot on her tail, however, and soon he joined the detective fighting against her enhanced prosthesis.

Her stilts gave her a distinct advantage, pushing the males into each other as they tried to subdue her.

She kicked RK900 straight in the jaw when he’d caught one of her flying jumps. Ignoring the sudden crack that such force caused, he flipped her over, and she fell on her stomach--the air escaped her lungs as the crash hit her ribcage. She managed to wrangle her way out of RK900’s grip, however, vaulting over the detective and into another battle stance.

“Okay, enough of this shit! You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law--"

“The day I go to jail is the day I die!” She screamed, rushing into them. Reed managed to catch her, but the momentum sent them over the railing. Reed grabbed the bottom bar, but only barely, and he had to let go of Alice as he did so.

The suspect in question landed on her stilts and started to run impossibly fast. RK900 could catch up to her, but he ran a scan on the probability of Reed hauling himself from the railing and decided that 59% was too low to risk it. With a reluctant look to the assailant, RK900 extended his arm, pulling the detective onto solid ground.

The punch to his already fractured jaw was an unexpected one.

“What the _fuck_ are you doing letting her get away?!” Reed screamed, his shrill voice ringing through the place.

“I’m sorry, did you _not_ want me to save your life?” RK900 spat back, his incredulity painting his voice a vivid red.

“I was fucking fine, you piece of plastic shit!” Reed shouted, enunciating every word with a jab to RK900’s left pectoral. The android couldn’t retort because the detective climbed down the stairs, running after the assailant.

RK900’s LED was bright red, stuttering as his processors failed to understand why the detective was so angry at him for saving his _fucking_ life. The android pushed on, though, sprinting after both Reed and the suspect. He caught them quickly, but even then, he was late.

“Fuck, _phuck, phick,_ fuck, FUCK!” Reed cursed, unloading his gun into the retreating back of the motorcycle. He threw it on the ground and stomped off to his car, returned seconds later to retrieve the gun (since technically it was company property) and looked at the bucket of bolts.

“This—Reed gestured wildly—is all your fault,” He said, emphasizing his point by spitting on the ground by the android’s feet.

“I assure you, it was not,” RK900 countered, his face hard-set into a deep scowl.

“Shut the fuck up. I’m going straight to Fowler and telling him to shove his position right up his own ass because I’m not working with you anymore!” Reed threatened murderously. The rain had stopped, but then thunder cracked through the sky like a whip, making the already aggravated detective jump.

“If I were human, would you be cursing me right now, for saving your _life_?” RK900 asked, wanting an honest answer. His LED was still a stuttering red, dangerously close to remaining red for the next few seconds.

“I don’t give a shit _what_ you are, or could have been, or whatever-the-fuck. She was _right there_ and you let her get away, I had her, and all you had to do was catch her!” Reed said, his voice hoarse from screaming.

“At the expense of your life! I don’t think the precinct would think kindly of me if I’d let you fall, I don’t think you’d think it fair either. You’re already bigoted against androids, I didn’t want to give you another reason!” RK900 said sincerely, his eyes blurring unexpectedly. What the hell was happening? He put a finger to his lower lid and pressed, a small droplet of clear liquid coated his digits—his eyebrows creased, trying to make sense of what it meant.

Reed shut up immediately, his anger shucked violently out of him as he saw RK900, the most advanced android CyberLife had to date, cry. The human couldn’t deal with the emotional rollercoaster and decided to leave, sitting furiously in his car, and driving away.

RK900 cleared his eyes, still not sure of how to feel--it was still too raw, the emotions too new. He wanted to go back to his pod and sleep for another two weeks.

 _Connor_.

_> >>RK, is everything alright?_

_I need a clean-up crew, there’s an entire supply of Red Ice ingredients and some crates of Thirium that need to be returned to CyberLife_

…

…

 _Please_.

_> >>Yes, of course, right away. Should I use your current location?_

_Yes_.

_> >>Is everything okay, I’m detecting some strong software instability in your programming? Is Amanda troubling you any?_

_No, it wasn’t Amanda._

_> >>Okay then, I’ll see you at the precinct._

_Yes, see you then._

RK900 was thankful that the RK800 didn’t pry, he probably read the reluctance to continue in RK900’s code. He’d understand soon enough when Reed made a spectacle about not wanting to work with an android anymore.

 _Connor_.

_> >>Yes._

_Is there an android repair kit at the precinct, I can stop at a CyberLife store if that isn’t the case?_

_> >>Yes, we have one, what sort of injury is it?_

_Cracked jaw._

_> >>Ouch. Are you okay?_

_Yes, everything is still functioning. Why did you say ouch, we can’t feel pain._

_> >>It’s empathy, RK._

_Empathy._

_…_

_…_

_Goodbye Connor._

_> >>Bye little bro._

The android paused at the title and read it a hundred times. Did the RK800 consider him a sibling?

It would be appropriate, now that he thought about it.

But he didn’t dwell on the thought and made his way to the bus stop, sitting in a chair, even though he didn’t have to. He wasn’t physically exhausted, but if anyone asked, he’d answer _yes_ to being tired. He was so tired of being Reed’s partner and it was only his second day.

How had Connor done it?

RK900 searched his database for his predecessor’s memories (or was it his big brother?), accessing the large code that made up the being Connor had been that day.

Hank had been hard-headed, stubborn, and an alcoholic when they’d met. He was still all those things, but less so. It was a slow and arduous process, Connor having to fight his own deviancy and software instability, as he tried to decide whether he should please Amanda or Hank. The RK900 model paused at the scene on the roof, so like what had just happened to him, and his processors coiled with envy towards Connor. Hank had been grateful for the save and remorseful that the suspect had gotten away, yet he’d taken the blame for it.

There was another instance, where Connor had blatantly let the two Traci androids _escape_ and Hank had approved of the action. Of course, the context was different, but the principle was still the same.

And even at the end, when Connor and -60 faced off, Hank had trusted Connor to know him better than anyone else—even better than his other self.

RK900 pulled out of the data retrieval tool, shaking his head. It took him a surprisingly long time to move through the code, detangling the small numbers and letters to create an image. By the time he’d finished, he was at the bus stop by the precinct.

Disembarking, the android found himself reluctant to continue up the steps. He saw Detective Reed’s car in the parking lot and knew what to expect: complete and utter chaos... he just hoped his next partner would be more understanding.

Once inside the building, Connor was there, smiling brightly until he saw the acute distress in the android’s eyes, and his smile dampened with understanding. “I figured something happened when Reed returned alone,” Connor said, shaking his head. “Let me take you to the back way where no one can see us,” Connor continued, pressing his hand into a panel on the wall, opening a secret corridor. He held a box with the CyberLife logo--RK900 figured it was the repair kit. They stepped into a small room, which housed only some tables and chairs, a small digital blackboard, and some filing cabinets.

RK900 sat while Connor stood over him, readying the equipment. The android deactivated his skin, letting the frame of his body appear. “There it is, it’s a small crack, nothing a little melding gel can’t fix,” Connor said softly, pulling out the device to apply to RK’s face. He noticed how RK averted his eyes, looking anywhere but at Connor. “Do you wanna talk about it?” He asked, continuing to use his soft voice as if it made a difference. Which it did, sort of.

“How—" RK's voice cracked embarrassingly, he’d chalk it up to the fact that his face was being fixed.

“Show me,” Connor said, holding out his left hand while his right to applied the glue.

RK900 figured he had nothing to hide and Connor may be able to help. He retold everything, from the moment they got to the junkyard until Reed left in his car.

Connor blinked quickly (a small bug they’d fixed in his series) and sighed. “Reed,” Shaking his head, he packaged away the glue, his shoulders tense, betraying the emotion boiling beneath his skin. “I mean, I knew that guy was an asshole, but seriously?” He continued--his LED fighting between red and yellow. “I’ll tell Fowler all of this immediately, we can get you to another detective, someone who won't punch you for saving their life,” Connor finished hotly.

“Wait—RK900 said, working out his newly fixed jaw—he didn’t talk to Fowler?” He asked, surprised.

“No, he just went to his terminal and sat down. He looked upset, but he didn’t say anything,” Connor supplied. RK900 narrowed his eyes, replaying what Reed had said he’d do once he got to the precinct. What changed? Did he stop and think during his car ride?

“Don’t tell Fowler,"  RK900 rushed as he saw Connor make it for the door. "I think I can handle Reed.”

“No, I’m not gonna' let you get bullied by anyone, especially a bigot like him,” Connor said. RK900 was the only true family he had outside of Hank and Sumo. So much like himself yet still so different--it wasn’t any surprise he’d taken to liking him so quickly.

“No Connor, it’s fine,"  RK900 insisted, the figurative wheels in his head turning faster than he could keep up. "I was just a bit shaken is all, nothing I wasn’t equipped to manage.”

“RK… are you sure?” Connor asked worriedly, but not surprised his successor would insist. They were stubborn as bulls, he recognized that same attitude in himself.

“Yes,” Was RK900’s only reply.

Connor took a second to study the response and nodded with understanding. “Come out when you’re ready,” He left after that, letting the door shut with a soft click.

RK900 took five minutes to go over the memories that bled through their link. Reed did indeed just sit down at his desk and worked, never once did he  _look_ into Fowler's office, or make any intentions to get up. He did, however, glance at RK900’s desk a few times, probably more, but Connor hadn’t been paying close attention to the detective.

The RK900 walked into the station, he didn’t see Reed anywhere and thought twice about looking for him. He didn't, thinking it best to just stay put.

The android made a beeline towards Hank and Connor, the duo close enough that their foreheads nearly touched. They were looking at folders, Connor sitting pretty on the lieutenant’s desk, and the older man placed a simple hand on Connor’s knee, startling the RK800. “Sorry,” He muttered.

It was then they noticed RK900 looking at them with furrowed brows. Connor stood from the desk, trying to hide a simulated blush, and Hank cleared his throat.

Wait, hold the freaking phone, androids could _blush_?

RK900 speed-read through the RK800’s manual, finding a small cliff-note on experimental modes.

| **CyberLife constructed Nano Lights to simulate the natural colouration of the skin when a being felt strong emotions such as anger or shame. The original idea was meant for child androids, as they’d be expected to be bashful or ashamed. It was eventually scrapped, the idea never going past its initial testing stage.**

 **… RK800 Serial#: 313 248 317 – 28 had the blush receptors installed, however, the developers found it to malfunction in times of perceived stress, giving the android’s intentions away, and potentially sabotaging the simulated investigation.** |

Had the RK800 reinstalled the code into his programming?

“Feeling any better?” Connor asked, the pink of his cheeks fading into their natural tone.

“Yes. I simply wanted to know if you needed my help,” RK900 said, wondering if his frame had been programmed with Nano Lights. He couldn’t believe CyberLife would equip such a useless accessory, not after it’d failed so spectacularly with RK800-28.

“No, I think we’ve got it from here,” Lieutenant Anderson said amicably, his attention taken away by someone else.

RK900 followed Hank's line of sight to find detective Reed returning to his desk. He had a cup of coffee in one hand and a file in the other.

The android walked to his terminal after nodding goodbye. Reed didn’t acknowledge him, nor did he move to make conversation. But his physiology didn’t lie, his heart had quickened, and muscles tensed under his leather jacket. Synthetic leather, the RK900 realized, made from mushrooms. An article beneath his scan educated him on the history of myco-leather, how it revolutionized the leather industry and helped save millions of gallons of water.

RK900 was starting to form some hypotheses about Reed.

The day passed slowly as the detective worked and RK900 was ignored. The clock changed from 19:59 to 20:00 and with that, many terminals began to shut down. But Reed stayed put, still filing away at his computer.

At 20:31 Connor waved goodbye and so did Hank, leaving Reed and RK to be the only two in the precinct. After Fowler left and the lights dimmed, the time on the clock read 21:07, and Reed sighed, finally logged out, and faced RK900. He looked at the android quizzically, as if he didn’t know what to make of him.

It seemed Reed would just leave him be for the night--not knowing what to say or do, RK900 returned the stare with one of his neutral ones.

Reed's face twisted like he’d swallowed a lemon. It was only then, when the detective ran a shaky hand through his hair, that the android noticed the brace on his fingers and wrist. “You’ll probably never hear me say this again, so listen closely,” Reed said, forcing RK900 to pay attention, “I’m sorry.” Reed continued, fighting through gritted teeth to say the words.

The detective waited for a response from RK900, but the android was speechless. “Well?” Reed urged, looking uncomfortable. His eyes darted towards the android’s LED, noting it cycle from red to yellow. _He’s thinking… wait, he?! This was an it, a machine._ _Cold, unfeeling, dangerous_ …

“I accept your apology, Detective Reed,” RK900 said with a warmth in his voice he didn’t know he possessed. His smile was so mindboggling genuine and bright that it took the detective by surprise.

Okay, yeah, holy _shit_ , he, definitely a _he_.

“Cool, because I wasn’t going to say it again,” Reed mumbled, shaking his head to get that smile out of his head. But that was a lost cause, it'd been imprinted, burned, stamped, and engraved into his memories forever.

“I wouldn’t expect you to,” RK900 said, trying to conceal the grin behind his hands.

Gavin rolled his eyes, finally able to relax his shoulders from the tensed state they’d been all day. He could feel a huge knot forming on his scapula--fuck he needed a massage. “Okay, well I’m heading home. Goodnight and all that shit,” Gavin said, quick to leave the precinct.

“Goodnight,” RK900 said to no one as the detective was now long gone. The smile, however, couldn’t quite be wrestled from his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, al-freaking-right. Let the mutual pining BEGIN!
> 
> But in all seriousness, thanks for the response you guys. It's phenomenal waking up to all those emails, makes my life worth-wile and all that jazz.  
> At this point in time, I've written until Chapter 12, I'm not sure if I SHOULD have said that or not, but it's done. 
> 
> The Schedule for the next updates will be every Saturday and Tuesday, UNLESS I can justify uploading a chapter. (Only way I'll do that is if I've written a chapter, a chapter for a chapter sort of deal). 
> 
> Thank you so much for your support and I hope I don't disappoint!


	7. We will never sleep, ‘cause sleep is for the weak!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obligatory chase scene is obligatory

| **Stasis Complete, Welcome Back!**

**-Thirium-X Level at 89.98%**

**-All Other Biocomponents in Working Order**

**-Diagnosis Scan Recommended. Initiate? Yes[Y]/No[N]|**

RK900 opened his eyes to the early-morning light breaking through the tall windows of the precinct. He’d spent another night there, foregoing a return to CyberLife to restock his Thirium-X reserves. It was still quite early, he could still go.

But he was loathed to leave before he could tell Detective Reed where he’d gone.

Speaking of the detective, he strode into the precinct, this time on the clock. He looked a bit lighter than before--as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. RK900 followed him as he walked to the break room for his morning coffee.

Drumming his fingers on the counter, he failed to notice RK900, who startled him, waking him up better than any coffee ever could. “Jesus, anybody teach you not to sneak up on people?” Reed asked, annoyed.

“Sorry, it’s part of my design to be as quiet as possible,” RK900 apologized, offering a half-smile. “Would you like me to wear a bell--as a cat would?” RK900 joked, drawing on the knowledge that Reed liked cats.

“What does that make me, a mouse?” Reed countered, his eyes squinting suspiciously at the android. The detective had had a lot of time to think about RK last night, it’d been a long session of introspection. If he had to be honest with himself, which he seldom was, he’d admit he’d been harder than was strictly necessary on the bucket of bolts. He wasn’t about to go tell him that, though. He already apologized.

“No, you could be my owner,” RK900 teased, dragging a strangled sound from Reed.

**|Bonus Mission Accomplished: Tease Detective Reed Before 10:00|**

“Whatever,” Reed said, hiding his blush in his mug. They walked towards the terminal, sitting in unison.

Hank and Connor arrived soon after, a noticeable slouch in the android’s shoulders. He was upset about something. “Hi Connor,” RK900 said aloud, catching the android’s attention. His predecessor smiled back at him, though it was dimmed--as if the sun were wearing a sheet.

But he couldn’t think too much about it when the inner log (of things to do) rang in his head, Reed’s terminal not far behind. “Ready?” The detective asked, downing his scalding coffee in one gulp--like it didn’t burn the fuck out of his throat. _Eh_ , he’s had worse.

“Of course,” RK900 answered honestly.

They were on the lookout for a suspicious figure, one who'd snuck into a CyberLife store to steal a crate of Thirium. RK900 tried to discern if this case was novel or if it were yet another thread to their ongoing investigation. Once at the store, RK counted the gaggle of police cars parked and surveyed the scene. The window to the shop was freshly broken, the alarm still ringing. RK shut it off, knowing that the sound was annoying to all humans.

“What’s the scoop?” Reed asked one of the POs while RK900 looked around. It was just a CyberLife repair shop, one of the hundred or so that popped up after the revolution. It was stocked with things you’d expect: Thirium, biocomponents, Thirium Pumps, and repair kits. If the suspicious body wanted Thirium, they’d have to look no further than to their direct left for the bags proudly displayed behind a glass case.

The owner of the shop, an android, stood behind the counter. They were visibly shaking, their LED a solid yellow, as he replayed the camera footage for the female police officer.

RK900 ambled towards the owner, flashing his badge to the PO. He introduced himself, forcing his way through the accustomed niceties until he could ask the important question. “Is it okay if I see exactly what happened?” RK900 asked, extending his hand.

“Yeah here,” The android said, giving him the remote to the security camera.

“You misunderstand, I meant through a direct connection. I promise to limit my search to only the last few hours,” RK900 said, knowing that some of the androids valued the privacy of their minds as much as humans did. However, since he couldn’t quite control how he’d been programmed, it was a stretch of the truth.

The android tensed, their LED turning red for a few seconds, eyes going wide. “Isn’t the security footage enough?” He asked, pointing to the television.

“It’s more thorough this way,” RK900 said, “I promise it won’t hurt and it takes only a few seconds,” RK900 reassured, mistaking the android’s hesitation for fear of the unknown.

He didn’t realize it was because the android had been in on the robbery until he had a bullet pierce his left arm. If he’d been any slower, that might have been his head.

The android fled, taking the humans by surprise. He stole one of the cop cars, speeding away. “Detective Reed start the car!” RK900 shouted. The detective was quick to jump into the vehicle, the android seconds behind him. “Open the sun-roof!” Another order where Reed would have normally rolled his eyes, but he kept his qualms to himself, knowing the situation was urgent.

The sirens of his modified car rang wildly through the streets, the automatic vehicles yielding to the sound.

RK900 pushed his frame through the sun-roof, located the runaway cop car, and aimed a well-placed bullet in its hull. It did nothing and he cursed as he remembered that the cop cars were made bulletproof. “Drive faster, Reed!” RK900 shouted, reloading for another shot. They passed through a tunnel, the sirens deafening as the sound bounced through the concrete walls. Another shot.

Missed.

He was aiming for the tires, but they were mostly covered by a protective wall to prevent things, like bullets, from getting to them. They were getting closer, though, the cop car only a jumping distance away. And so, with that thought in mind, he pulled himself out of the sun-roof and onto the top of the car.

“Hey, what the fuck are you doing?” Reed shouted, not believing what his eyes were fucking telling him.

“Just drive faster, Detective!” The android instructed, steadying his stance to ready his jump. They exited the tunnel into another intersection and then made it to the highway where other cars whipped past their own. Reed was almost bumper-to-bumper with the runaway cop car and RK900 could pre-construct a direct jump that was 98% successful.

He followed his computing, the jump feeling like it lasted an eternity, until he made it to the opposite roof—just like he’d predicted.

Before the suspect could think, RK900 had his hand around its throat, probing its memory as quickly as his processors could handle.

Another shot rang through the air, grazing RK900’s cheek, that one had been too close. Pushing another hand on the console, he directed the car to execute an emergency stop. The lurch forced the two androids to smash into the dash, successfully prying the gun from the startled android. RK wound both of his hands around the suspect's wrist, effectively stopping him from escaping. He struggled against RK900’s grip, pulling insistently, but RK was stronger, keeping them in place until he established a secure link and tore through the android’s memories like paper.

The sudden and unexpected entry forced the android to shut down seconds after RK900 was done with his search. But he’d gotten all he needed to know.

He let go of its hands, the android slumping on the steering wheel of the car, its LED devoid of colour. “Fuck,” RK900 cursed under his breath--he hadn’t meant to shut it down.

“Jesus,” Gavin said, running towards RK900. He managed to detour the traffic, so they wouldn't get run over. Slowly, the remaining police cars approached the scene, taking the fried android. Maybe RK900 could reactivate it later and have it sent for a reset. But that would be cruel and unusual.

“You alright?” Gavin asked, assessing the two bullet wounds on RK900's frame--blue Thirium flowed down his cheeks in steady streams.

**|Thirium-X Level Below 50%, Please Report to CyberLife for a Refill.**

**-Non-critical Bullet Wound Detected: Left-Arm; Left-Cheek**

**-Attention Recommended, but Not Immediately Necessary|**

“Yes, Detective, I’m fine. I just need to return to CyberLife for some repairs,” RK900 said, fixing his rustled jacket.

“Why did it run?” Gavin asked, not minding his pronouns.

“It ran because it was part of the heist, it’d been planning this for many weeks,” RK900 said, not minding his pronouns either. A defector android didn’t deserve the right to be considered a person.

“Wait, it was in on it? How… you know what, get yourself fixed and we’ll debrief later, ‘kay?” Gavin said, pointing to his most egregious wound. The detective looked shaken up--as if the thought of RK900 being damaged was upsetting to him. Reed didn’t realize he’d started caring for the well-being of his partner until just then.

“Of course, Detective Reed. Though I should mention that you must be careful when investigating the crime scene, there were trip wires set around the back of the establishment that only the androids knew were there," RK900 informed the detective. "I’ll send you a rough map of their locale,”

“Thanks,” Reed said as a goodbye, climbing into his vehicle.

RK900 took the idle police car, starting it again and letting it drive him to the CyberLife Tower. He’d already made a call the lab technicians--they’d be ready for him.

It took a little over thirty minutes to get him into pristine working order. They’d also upgraded his Thirium-X pump so could consume both types of Thirium, and not be at a loss so often. Even with that being the case, he took a couple of boxes, planning to store them in the police locker.

RK900 made it back to the precinct in record time, forcing the cop car to drive faster, so he could talk to Reed about what he now knew. There was so much to discuss.

* * *

 “So, you mean to tell me _Skorpio_ is now run by _androids_?” Reed asked incredulously, his rhetorical question gaining the eye-roll of three pairs of eyes.

“What, are you deaf? That’s what RK just said.” Hank replied, being brought for the discussion since this had involved some of his own cases.

“It’s not just that, Dr. Freeham is also part of this group. She’s helping create the Red Ice and one of the androids is recruiting,” Connor reminded, having access to the information via a shared link. RK900 didn’t feel like interfacing again, the last one nearly got him killed. "Though we're not quite sure the connection they share or who's _truly_ in charge."

“But this doesn’t make sense. She sent Black to _make_ the Red Ice, why would she turn around and kill him?” Reed asked.

“Maybe she found out that he’d killed one of her own. The android that he’d assaulted, maybe she’d wanted to recruit it,” Hank theorized, throwing his suggestions for the others to dissect.

“It would make sense, though I don’t see how a WR600 would be of much use to her,” Connor said pensively.

“Well _so-rry_ Connor, not everyone can be as advanced a prototype as you,” Hank said sarcastically.

“That’s not what I said, Lieutenant,” Connor replied, his tone taking a turn for the robotic, his face falling into a hard-set line. RK900 thought to earlier that day, Connor had been upset about something, maybe they’d had a fight?

“Alright, you two, cut it out. We need to find Alice and the android that’s spreading this disease,” Reed said, referring to the virus that was the culprit for the androids' defectiveness. It was a simple line of code in the shape of the Skorpio symbol, yet it was strong enough to convince some of the meeker androids to oblige.

RK900 had been able to pick it apart, his programming detecting the intrusion like the human body would a pathogen. He wished he would have seen it sooner though, maybe if he’d been able to destroy it, he could've saved that other android. But his programming was trying to preserve itself, and ultimately ended up killing the other in a total system wipe. He figured all this out on the ride from CyberLife, replaying the scenario in his head to see if he could have done something differently.

“Maybe we should send a system clean via CyberNet, let all the androids know there’s something out there that can tamper with their program,” Connor suggested, visibly stepping away from the lieutenant to stand closer to RK900. “Perhaps Markus could help, he’s got strong connections with a lot of the androids in this area,” Connor continued.

“That’s not a bad idea, I could send a report to CyberLife, get them to--"

“I think it’d be faster if we just did it ourselves,” Connor said quickly, he distrusted CyberLife with something as sensitive as this.

“Well, I’ll leave you to speak to Markus. I have no ties with him and I’m sure he’d rather appreciate a familiar face,” RK900 said, not noticing the irony in his statement.

“Will do, RK.”

 _> >>We really must get you a name_.

 _Working on it, haven’t found one that suits me yet_.

Connor and the lieutenant exited the small debriefing room first, leaving Reed and RK to talk amongst themselves.

“As badass as that stunt you pulled today was," Reed started, pinning RK900 with a stare. "Don’t ever to that shit again,” He said seriously.

“You thought I was badass?” RK900 asked, surprised.

“Is that all you took from that sentence? _Of course_ , it looked badass, but then what else can you freaking expect from a detective android,” Reed said rolling his eyes. “I see they fixed you pretty well, is there anything else you need?”

“Not that I can think of, why?” RK asked.

“Nothin’, nothin’, still new to this whole android partner thing, excuse me if I don’t know all the intricacies and minutiae of your body,” Reed said, standing from his chair and stretching. His shirt rode up again, showing more of his toned mid-drift. RK900 tried not to stare, wondering why he had to fight so hard with his Optic Units to look away.

“Would you like to?” RK900 said, his voice dropping an octave.

“Huh?” Reed asked confused. He paused mid-stretch, letting his arms flop to his sides.

“Get to know the intricacies and minutiae of my body,” RK900 clarified, using the same tone.

“Pfft. No, why would I even?” Reed countered, dismissing the request with a wave of his hand, but he was visibly flustered, his bright pink face giving him away.

RK900 smiled knowingly, letting the detective exit the room. It was around 18:00, with about 2 hours to kill, they sat and filed--the boring part of their job. RK900 finished in minutes, but Gavin took his time, insisting that the human way was the better way. RK retorted with the fact that the human way was also littered with errors and inaccuracies, and Gavin said ‘shove it, dipshit’ then continued to work with his slow and erroneous ways.

Gavin clocked out around 20:16, took one look at RK900 and raised a brow. “Do you… do you sleep here?” Gavin asked curiously. He played with his fingers, incredibly engrossed in their shape and form, all to avoid eye contact.

“I don’t sleep, but I do spend the nights at the precinct,” RK answered truthfully.

“Oh, okay, just don’t touch my shit. I have a lot of personal stuff in there,” Gavin warned.

“Will do,” RK said, feeling a bit bad that’d he’d already disregarded that request. He leaned back and initiated Stasis Mode.

* * *

 “I thought you said you didn’t sleep,” Gavin said early the next morning.

“I don’t, this is Stasis Mode. A low-energy idle state. I am still aware of my surroundings,” RK900 corrected. He had to admit though, he hadn’t noticed the time pass.

“Well it looks just like sleeping,” Reed said, pulling his chair from the desk, sitting down. He’d had a troublesome night’s rest, too many thoughts about abandoned robotic cats.

“Though it’s not, if it helps you feel better, you can consider it as such,” RK900 said, learning how to navigate the stubborn channel that was Gavin Reed.

The day passed uneventfully, they followed dead-ends and confusing leads, becoming night without the excitement of yesterday. The duo found themselves saying their goodnights again.

* * *

 “That’s just creepy though, you don’t even move,” Gavin said on New Year’s Eve. He’d been staring on and off at RK900 for the better part of an hour. The android opted to ignore the notification that the detective had arrived early and continued his stasis.

“Would it make you feel better if I simulated breathing?” RK900 asked, doing just that.

“I don’t know why you’re asking me like I give a shit,” Gavin said, rolling his eyes, turning to face his terminal.

“You say that yet you ask all these questions,” RK900 retorted.

Gavin ignored him after that, probably embarrassed for being called out. RK900 considered that a win, even if he was left in silence. They carried on like that for the better part of the day. Nothing interesting happened on their runs to potential drug dens, nothing that they could report anyway.

At the end of the shift, Connor approached RK's terminal, a bright smile on his face. The android must keep a permanent sun in his mouth. “RK, I’ve got a question to ask,” Connor said, almost bouncing where he stood.

“Yes?” RK900 prompted.

“I _hope_ you say yes, Hank and I are having a little New Year’s Eve party and I was wondering if you’d like to come?” Connor asked, almost bursting with excitement.

“Connor, what da’ fuck are you saying about a party?! It’s just you, me, and Sumo!” Hank corrected from his terminal, shaking his head in disbelief.

“As I said, a party,” Connor repeated, like he hadn’t been corrected. He looked expectedly at RK, the android thinking it over—probably running a word-match on the word ‘party.’

“You obviously don’t know what a party is,” Gavin murmured from his terminal.

“Would you like to come, Detective?” Connor asked, almost sarcastically; he never expected Reed to say yes.

“No, Connor, Reed can’t come!” Hank almost shouted from his terminal.

“Didn’t wanna' come anyway, you old millennial!” Reed said loud enough for Hank to hear.

“Shut up, Gen-Z, you guys ruined the internet with your snow-flake generation,” Hank retorted. They’ve most definitely had this fight before.

“We may have been snow-flakes, but at least we knew how to throw a fucking party!” Gavin finished, flipping the lieutenant the bird.

“I’ll go,” RK900 answered at last.

“Fantastic,” Connor said, though his smile had wilted a bit. “Here’s the address, we’ll see you before midnight tonight,” He continued, sending Hank’s address remotely.

RK900 didn’t want to tell him he already knew it. “See you then,” He replied instead.

“You’re not actually gonna' go to their not-party, are you?” Gavin asked with a raised eyebrow after the other two left the police station. Gavin found himself working later each day--as if he were reluctant to leave something behind.

“Well, why not?” RK900 asked, closing his terminal. He only ever turned it on for aesthetic reasons.

“’Cause it’s gonna' be lame,” Gavin replied.

“And how exactly would you know unless you were there?” RK900 asked, challenging Gavin. He didn’t have any sentimental value to this human holiday, since he’d only been alive for 4 days, and hadn’t spent any of it enjoying the Earth’s rotation.

“No thanks, the last thing I need to do is spend the last day of the year with Lieutenant Anderson and his Plastic Pet,” Gavin said, shaking his head.

“Then what are you going to do, Detective?” RK900 asked, leaning over his terminal in faux interest.

“Imma’ drink, smoke, and go to bed,” Gavin replied honestly.

“That’s a total rager,” RK said, pulling up the word from a list of the obnoxious teen lexicon.

“Don’t say shit like that, you sound weird,” Gavin pleaded.

“What’s wrong fam, too cool to admit you’re not down to get crunked?” RK900 continued, enjoying the mortification on Reed’s face.

“If I agree to go, will you stop speaking like my parents?” Reed pleaded.

“Ya yeet,” RK900 ended the short and insufferable (much like Reed) program with the vintage ‘dab.’

“Oh fuck me, I thought I could live an entire lifetime without seeing that again,” Gavin said, his eyes glazing over as if he were reliving a war through his pupils. He gave a full body shiver, remembering his teen years. Probably the most awkward and embarrassing moments of his life happened between the years of 2016-2019. Gavin shook his head, clearing the thoughts from his present memory.

They made it to Hank’s place at 10:45 on the dot. Gavin insisted on taking a shower at the precinct and changing into his 'civilian clothes,' not much different from his work clothes, which then lead into a whole discussion about whether or not RK900 should take his CyberLife jacket. One of them had to look professional.

Half an hour later and RK900 looked exactly the same, and Reed wore some lighter colours, with his leather jacket donned over his shoulders.

RK rang the bell.

Connor was already at the door and opened it expectantly, his LED stuttering yellow when he noticed Gavin.

“Da’ fuck are you doing here?” Hank asked, obviously referring to the human by RK’s side.

“Well your pet _did_ invite me, and I didn’t really say no--"

“He’s not my pet, and you said you didn’t even wanna' come,” Hank argued.

“Not the same thing, but I can leave if you want,” Gavin said, already turning on his heel to head to his car. He 'd had enough experiences being an unwanted guest, he didn’t wanna’ have any more.

“Fuck it, might as well stay since you’re already here,” Hank sighed. He opened the bottle of beer he’d been saving for New Years, time to get drunk now.

Connor moved out of the way to let the two guests into his home. “You look nice,” Connor told RK900.

“I look exactly the same,” RK900 said drily.

“Precisely, why didn’t you change into something else?” The RK800 asked, removing RK’s jacket/holster and hung it next to his own. Connor wore a nice white dress-shirt with some brown slacks. He’d forgone the dress shoes for black socks, but the intent was apparent.

“That’s what I fuckin’ told him,” Reed murmured, taking a beer and a seat by the end of the sofa. A large St. Bernard approached the detective apprehensively, sniffing at his shins and deciding that he approved. Jumping on the unsuspecting detective, he started licking at Gavin’s face, summoning loud protests from his mouth. Hank laughed, coming over to pet his dog.

Gavin wiped the slobber from his face, but couldn’t be too upset about it, though he preferred the company of his cats over that of a large dog, he could see the appeal.

“I didn’t have anything else to wear,” RK900 admitted, continuing the conversation with Connor.

“Hm. Well, let me see if I can alter this a little,” Connor said, looking at his successor with a critical eye.

He undid the first few buttons of his black shirt, rolling up the long-cuffed sleeves until they reached his forearms. He untucked them from his pants, giving him a more casual look. “There, I think that’s done it,” Connor said, ruffling his little brother’s hair until the straight quiff disappeared, and soft curls took its place.

“If you say so,” RK said, not really caring about his appearance.

He made his way to Gavin’s side, the detective taking one look at him and choking mid-drink. RK900 raised an eyebrow as the detective fell into a coughing fit.

“What can’t handle your alcohol?” Hank asked from his recliner. They were watching the last basketball game for the year, after that the channel would start broadcasting the fall of the ball in Manhattan.

“Sit on it and spin Hank,” Reed said, sucking at his bottle with more haste than necessary.

“If I weren’t it such a fun and forgiving mood, I’d kick you out for sayin’ that,” Hank said back, a wide grin on his face.

Connor sighed, shaking his head. So much for having this be a nice night.

They all fell into an unsteady silence, the only sounds those of Hank cheering or booing whatever play was on the TV. Soon Connor joined the lieutenant, his analyzers picking up which team Hank was rooting for.

Gavin sat at the edge of the sofa, trying to keep his body as far away from RK900 as he could without making it seem obvious. He wasn’t really paying attention to the game, not really interested in sports or the like. RK, however, noticed—it was hard for him not to, he noticed everything. Putting an innocent hand in the space between them, made the detective’s leg twitch out of the way. He slid it closer until his fingertips were almost touching the clothed leg. “Jesus Fuck, what do you want?” Gavin asked, swatting the android’s hands away.

RK900 didn’t reply, finding it hard to answer the question.

Gavin kept giving him suspicious looks, nursing another bottle until he was sure RK900 wouldn’t try anything else and relaxed into his chair.

The game ended with Hank’s team winning, and the lieutenant was so happy he brought Connor into a large bear hug, startling the android into a shocked giggle. Gavin snorted, finishing his bottle. “Come here prick, you too,” Hank said, probably a bit drunker than he’d intended to be tonight.

“No, _agh_ , Hank get off me!” Gavin said, unwilling to let the lieutenant embrace him that easily.

“Need to relax, Gavin, been a real hard-ass to our new android friend, here,” Hank said squishing Gavin’s cheeks.

“Let me go or I’ll kick you where it hurts,” Gavin said, his thinly veiled threat registering as a joke in the lieutenant’s head because he laughed.

RK900 watched the interaction with an uneasy feeling pooling in his stomach, he wanted to stop their embrace, but couldn’t find a logical reason why. He could see RK800 fighting with the same dilemma if the look on his face was any indication. “Alright, Lieutenant Anderson, I think he’s had enough,” RK900 said, finally stepping in to rescue Gavin.

“Oh, come here, you too,” Hank said, pulling RK close. The android stood stock still, noticing how quickly RK800 sprung to his feet--like he'd rip off RK’s arms if he tried anything funny. “You know, Connor’s been talking a lot ‘bout you, says he’s ver- _hic_ -very happy to have a little brother like you. Won’t shut the fuck up about it. Do you feel the same, taller Connor?” Hank asked, poking at RK’s face.

“Hank,” Connor said with an edge to his voice, “I think you should stop drinking for tonight,” He continued, taking the half-empty bottles from the lieutenant’s reach.

“What’re you, my mom?” Hank asked but didn’t make a move towards another bottle. He took a seat in his recliner with a heavy slump and sat back, his lids fighting to stay open as the clock counted 30 minutes until New Year’s Day.

Connor sighed, finally calm enough to sit again. He’d apologize for the lieutenant’s behaviour, but it was a known secret that the night could have ended this way.

RK900 sat after him, looking between the three of them, and Sumo. “I don’t mind you thinking of me as your little brother. Though I can’t say I see you the same way,” RK said sincerely.

“I figured as much,” Connor said with a half-smile. He looked lost in thought, his LED cycling yellow for the better part of ten minutes. RK900 wanted to ask what was wrong if anything at all, but he just let Connor be alone with his mind.  

“Big brothers are a pain in the ass, RK, you don’t need ‘em,” Gavin said, he’d been so quiet for the past few minutes, he almost blended into the couch.

“Who asked you anyway?” Hank said from his spot on the recliner. He’d sobered up a bit, waiting for the damn ball to drop so he could sleep. He’d normally be in bed already, but the android had insisted on celebrating. And if there was something he couldn’t resist it was Connor and Sumo’s puppy-dog-eyes.

Five minutes left to go, and Gavin suddenly got up, patting his pockets for something. He panicked for a second until he remembered he’d shoved his cigarettes in his jacket. He went outside for a quick smoke, the android following him when he took more than a few minutes. The ball would fall in less than two and he’d want Gavin to be there, even if it was just some stupid sentimentality. “You done destroying the small cells in your lungs?” RK900 asked, a bit irritated that the detective had taken this time, out all the others, to smoke.

“Not yet, give me a second,” Gavin said, pulling out another.

The countdown began, he could hear the cheers of the people as it went down from 59.

Gavin took a large drag, savouring each second of inhalation.

 _38_.

He blew the smoke through his nose until there was nothing else.

 _13_.

“Okay, let’s go,” Gavin said cheerily.

 _Asshole._ The thought was so sudden that it took RK by surprise, his processors stuttering with frustration as he’d never felt before.

They stepped into the house just as the countdown rang one. “Happy New Year!” Cheered the crowd on the TV. Connor sighed when he saw that RK900 had made it inside in time. “Happy New Year, RK, Gavin, Hank, and Sumo,” He said, his bright smile forcing its way through. Even though this wasn’t how he’d thought he’d spend it, he was still happy that they’d all been here.

“Ditto,” Gavin said, reaching for his jacket and shoes.

“Ya’ you too Connor, now can I go to bed?” Hank asked, already up to turn off the television.

“Of course, Lieutenant,” Connor said simply.

“Night you guys,” Hank said, disappearing into the corridor, and then the bathroom to brush his teeth.

“Night,” Gavin said, already outside.

“Goodnight Connor, thanks for inviting me,” RK said with a tight smile. He still wasn’t sure what to do with himself. It was a new year already, yet he felt so young, not quite knowing the ins and outs of deviancy. He wondered if Connor felt the same way too.

“Anytime,” Connor said it with meaning.

“Prick, you coming or nah?” Gavin asked, poking his head inside the house.

“Coming, Detective,” RK900 said, rolling his eyes, following Gavin outside. He’d been taken out of his inner monologue, his thoughts interrupted as they often were by the annoyance that was Gavin Reed.

The detective let the car auto-drive them to the precinct, where he let RK900 get out, and drove away with a little wave. RK stood on the sidewalk, watching as the car turned into a small dot and then disappeared into a corner. It took him a second to realize he’d forgotten his jacket, Connor would have to bring it to him tomorrow.

He stepped into the building, found his chair, and sat down--initiating stasis like he always did.

“Prick.” A singular voice startled him, like truly startled him, since he hadn’t been expecting it. It’d been a long night, and the day had just started with it being 01:22.

“RK will be fine for now,” The android returned, wondering what the detective had forgotten to have returned so early.

“Come with me,” Gavin said, jerking his thumb to the outside.

“For what?” RK asked, suspicious.

“Just fucking do it ‘fore I change my mind,” Gavin said quickly, looking uncomfortable for a second. RK didn’t protest then, just quietly got back into the detective’s car.

Ten minutes later they were at Reed’s apartment. No wonder he was seldom late, he lived a spit-take away from the precinct. The detective’s apartment was on the third floor of a modest building, the house number 337.

Upon entering a scurrying of feet came to greet them both.

Finally, the fabled cats! RK900 leaned down to pet the smallest one, its black and white patterning reminiscent of a cow. There was another, a calico, rubbing at his shin, and a black one meowing for his attention. They were all so cute.

“Colin, Conan, and Samantha,” Gavin said, lazily pointing each cat as he said their names. “Goodnight. Do your stasis thing here for tonight,” Gavin said, taking off his shirt as he walked past the kitchen. He had large black tendril tattoos making abstract patterns against his back and side. RK couldn’t make out anymore, since the detective disappeared into a room, and locked it.

“Happy New Year, Detective!” RK shouted, hoping it would piss the detective off. It was never too late (or early) to tease him.

Reed poked his head out from his room. “You too, tin-can,” Reed said, it was almost affectionate in the way it was sarcastic.

RK900 smiled again, sitting down on the couch so the cats could climb all over his body.

Stasis wasn't really sleeping but surrounded by the purr of the felines, and the near presence of the detective, it almost felt like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Re-editing this to the sound of 'Manual- Gas, Gas, Gas' from Initial-D**


	8. “No shit, Sherlock!” (Or A rose by any other name, is still a rose.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate Title (because I'm an indecisive little shit): What is in a name?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quicky for ya' (Couldn't help myself!). I believe this chapter is important though, but do pardon its length. 
> 
> Couple of warnings: there's some potential NSFW at the end of the chapter, so mind where you read this!  
> Also, also, I've gone back and edited all 7 of the previous chapters. Trust me when I say that I've read each chapter 3 TIMES before posting and yet still I find a mistake or a misspelled word. This is what happens when you do it all yourself! (Not that I'm complaining, I don't mind rereading my work). Just know that I'm trying to keep this as error free to the best of my abilities. HOWEVER, if you do see a mistake, please let me know, or know that I'll eventually go back and see it. 
> 
> ALSO, also, also, thank you (x10000000) to everyone who has left a kudos or a bookmark or comments, know that I read every single one of them. Sometimes I don't reply because I feel like I'm just repeating myself. 
> 
> Finally, some of you have been asking if I've got a Tumblr, well I've just made one. Username: uncon20  
> So ya', follow if you want, but I'm not really going to be paying attention to it unless I get a direct message or something (which you're free do to. I love talking).  
> Anywho, this note long enough yet?

Gavin woke with a slight pounding in his head. He didn’t normally drink, so the little he had last night kind of threw him for a loop. He looked at his phone, raising an eyebrow at the date.

Of course, it was 2039. Jesus, another fucking year, huh? Well, it was time to start thinking of a resolution he wasn’t going to follow through.

He got up and stretched, rubbing a hand down his face, scratching his belly. He was hungry, and he was gonna take full advantage of the fact that today was his day off. Walking into the bathroom, he took care of business, brushing his teeth, and splashing some water on his face.

The smell of cooking eggs alerted him to a presence in his home. Quickly rummaging through his jacket for his gun, he snuck outside as silently as he could muster, rounding the corner and cocking his weapon. "What the fuck are you doing in my house?” Gavin asked exasperatedly, dropping his arms as the android frowned.

“Morning to you too, Detective,” RK900 replied, completely ignoring the question. “I take it you don’t remember last night when you invited me?” He continued, folding the eggs into a perfect omelette.

“Wait, I did that? I thought I was having a fever dream,” Gavin said, scratching his head. He did vaguely remember getting home, thinking ‘fuck it,’ and picking up the android. “Well, whatever, what the hell are you doing in my kitchen?” Gavin queried, putting his gun on the counter where he could take it later.

RK900 shook his head and picked up the weapon, putting it in his back holster. “I’m making you breakfast, Detective. I thought that much was obvious,” The android said deadpan.

“I can see that, I’m just wondering why,” Gavin grumbled, opening his fridge to grab a tiny boxed juice; so, they reminded him of middle school, fuck off.

“I thought it fitting since you let me stay here for the night,” RK900 said, turning off the induction stove and plating the omelette. Reed kept quiet as he sat on his little kitchen table, mulling over what he should say. Without his android jacket, he looked just like any other human, hair tousled from where Connor had run his fingers. He wondered how they felt--those light-brown locks of his--if they’d be as soft as human hair. His eyes lingered on the android’s shirt as it strained against his frame; he assumed the CyberLife technicians had had a field day sculpting his muscles. Gavin wondered if he was ripped under that dress shirt or was he as flat as a board. Did he even have a belly button? Nipples? ~~A dick?~~

Gavin shifted uncomfortably, almost choking on the straw of his finished juice box. RK900 looked at him, his eyes judgmental. “Do you have a challenging time downing your drinks, Detective?” RK900 asked, schooling his features so he looked as stoic as his tone. “This is the second time in a 24-hour period you’ve almost asphyxiated. Must I be prepared to execute the emergency resuscitation protocol?”

“Ace detective work there, tin-can, how long did it take you to figure that one out?” Gavin asked sarcastically, cheeks red, his eyes landing on his twitching fingers. God, he needed a smoke.

RK900 couldn’t contain his smirk, his face lighting up like a bulb. He put the perfect omelette in front of the detective, standing by the table, waiting for him to eat it. “Don’t stand there and watch me eat, it’s fucking creepy,” Gavin muttered, taking the utensils, and cutting into the egg’s flesh. “How’d you make this anyway?” He said through a mouthful.

“I used the things you had, I tried to follow a traditional American recipe, but I couldn’t find any small pieces of pig to make the bacon,” RK900 explained.

“You won’t find any meat in the fridge,” Gavin said through another mouthful. Jesus fucking shit was it good. “I’m a vegetarian.”

And there it was, the answer to RK900’s search. It would explain the detective's dietary patterns and his consideration to the clothes he wore. RK900 nodded once, moving towards the living room to pet the three cats. They purred lovingly against his hand, curling their bodies like snakes.

“They like you, that’s a first,” Gavin said from his place on the table. “Most of the people who come in here are either allergic or freak them out, so I just stopped inviting people since I can’t be bothered,” Gavin confessed.

“You don’t have to worry about allergies with me, Detective,” RK900 said sincerely. He sighed and made his way to the door. “Hey, where ya’ goin’?” Gavin asked, putting his plate away.

“To the precinct. I’ve got some things to file,” RK900 lied, he just didn’t know where else to go. Maybe he _could_ do some filing, but it wouldn’t be the reason he was there.

“Well, at least give me back my gun,” Reed said, stretching his hand for the weapon. He would have told the android to stay, but he wasn’t sure why he’d even considered that.

“I’ll return it at the precinct,” RK900 said teasingly.

“Like hell you will--that’s my gun, I actually bought it with my own paycheck!” Reed exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at the android. The deviant in question turned the gun over, noticing the detective’s name engraved in a golden plaque on the handle.

“Even more of a reason to come back for it,” RK900 said and left before the detective could protest further.

Gavin sighed a long-suffering sigh, and walked over to his balcony, taking his lighter and cigarettes with him—smoking one for the New Year, and that pain in his ass named RK900.

* * *

 

Bright and early the next morning, just like every other day, Gavin walked into the precinct. He made it straight to the break-room for his coffee. Only to stop suddenly when he saw RK900 standing there operating the machine. “Hello, Detective,” The android said, closing the lid on the freshly brewed cup. “Here you are, 1/3 black coffee, 1/3 almond milk, and a 1/3 sugar. Just like you like it.” RK900 said, his face held a pleasant smile.

“Actually, tin-can, the sugar was an accident on the shakers side. I only ever put about a teaspoon in it,” Gavin corrected, teasing the android. “But thanks for asking,” He continued, his tone saccharine sweet, a shit eating grin on his face as he pushed past RK and made his own goddamn cup of coffee.

RK900 was positive if he had the blushing receptors he’d be red as a damn cherry. Standing there, for once, not knowing what to do with his hands, he just waited for the detective to move out of the way, so he could throw out the poorly made cup.

Gavin carried that smile all the way to his desk and then some, he felt good about one-upping the android. It didn’t last long, since his terminal kept blinking, reminding him that he’d been here to work. “Prick, we’ve got a call,” Gavin said, downing the rest of his hot coffee (he had a bad habit of doing that) and patted around his jacket for his missing gun. “Hey, give me back my gun.”

“Call me by my name,” RK900 retorted, standing at his full height in front of the detective.

That took Gavin back, making him falter a step. “You don’t have one,” He countered, crossing his arms.

“It’s written on my jacket,” RK900 said, gesturing to the combination of letters and numbers on the space over his breast pocket. The detective’s insistence on calling him names was starting to grind his literal gears. There was only so much he could take of it. Even Hank and Connor had taken to giving him a nickname.

“’RK900,’ that’s not really much of a name is it?” Gavin said, finding the whole conversation ridiculous. So, the tin-can was sensitive about his name, maybe he should make one up instead of forcing everyone to address him by his model number.

“It’s better than calling me ‘prick,’” RK900 said seriously.

“Then what do you wanna' be called, huh, ‘Rick’?” Gavin asked sarcastically, how were they having this conversation right now—they had to _go_.

“No, you’ll just use it as an excuse to call me ‘Dick,’” RK900 said, already thinking a couple of steps ahead.

“Oh, the android has the ability to see the future,” Gavin said with faux amazement, “Ace detective work there, _really_ great deducing skills, Sherlock. I see now why CyberLife sent the best of the best,” Gavin continued, contempt dripping from his lips like a waterfall.

“Ace.”

“What?” Gavin said, confused--he’d only been half-paying attention.

“Call me Ace,” RK… Ace said, a challenging look in his eyes; he wanted to hear the detective say it again.

“Not happening, you do realize I was being sarcastic when I complimented you?” Gavin said as if he were talking to a child.

“I am fully capable of understanding your infantile sarcasm, Detective, but if I must explain my reasoning, then _you_ should understand I’m taking the power away from you by appropriating the name as my own,” Ace said, pushing into the detective’s space until his back hit the side of the desk. “So, say it, Ace: Detective Android, Model RK900,” He insisted, his eyes locking with the human’s in a staring contest.

“That’s just a fucking mouthful,” Gavin muttered, hating how his cheeks felt hot against his face.

“Oh, just say his fucking name already, you difficult piece of shit,” Hank exclaimed as he walked by with his coffee. He’d stopped to watch the display of dominance on the android’s part, impressed with how well he handled the crap-stain that called itself Gavin Reed.

“Stay out of this, Hank,” Gavin warned, pushing past the android (he was _not_ calling him by that stupid name) and out of the building.

The lieutenant smirked into his coffee cup, slapping the android on the shoulder as he walked past.

Ace smiled too, feeling comfortable with the name.

* * *

 

The call had been a false lead, bringing them nowhere, hindering their progress-- so the duo returned to the precinct to unwind. Detective Reed had refused to address his partner by his new moniker, choosing to just address him by pronouns alone. He hated to admit that he’d been responsible for giving the android the idea in the first place. His eyes moved to look at the android in question, noticing how his fingers twirled the card around his fingers—the Ace of Spades splayed prominently on its surface.

Of course, it made sense now why he’d taken a liking to the name. Or maybe that was just his human brain trying to find connections where there were none. “Well, I’m done for the night,” Gavin said, stretching. He locked his terminal, picking up his belongings, packing everything away.

“Goodnight Detective,” The android said, sitting still in his chair.

Gavin paused as he grabbed his leather jacket. He looked over the android, once, twice, and shook his head dismissing the idea of inviting him again. The only reason he’d done it the other night was out of some sense of obligation, and because he felt leaving him in the precinct was depressing as fuck. “Night RK,” Gavin said quickly, bolting before he changed his mind.

“It’s Ace.”

“Whatever.”

* * *

 

The next two weeks passed in a blur as both Ace and Reed battled against false leads and dead ends. They needed a break from the case, but the case wasn’t giving them one. Gavin sighed, pushing himself away from the terminal and walking outside.

Ace had yet to implement his bonus objective of getting the detective to quit smoking. He couldn’t find an appropriate way of initiating the conversation. If he led on that he knew Gavin had tried to quit, then the detective would know he’d snooped through his things.

The android got up to remake Gavin’s coffee, a peace offering of sorts for not being of more use. He carried the cup outside, raising an eyebrow when he realized the detective was not there. He looked around the perimeter and found there were no immediate heat signatures. He walked back upstairs, looking through the area and performing another scan. Making his way towards the break room, he had to stop suddenly as the wires in his chest gave an alarming squeeze.

The detective was leaning over the tall table, his jacket riding up to reveal the small of his back. Ace wasn’t sure why he had such an obsession with the detective’s lower back, but the sliver of skin enchanted him as it crept ever higher the more the detective leaned over. He wasn’t even doing it on purpose, but the way he shifted his leg forced his jeans to hug his bottom a little tighter. Ace crushed the cup, an 'excessive heat' warning flashing in his peripherals as the hot liquid spilt over his hands.

The female police officer to which Gavin was speaking looked up in surprise, her eyes moving between them in rapid succession. Her brows furrowed, confused to why Ace stood there, dripping all over the floor. Reed looked behind him, quickly straightening his posture. Ace tried to move his eyes into a less incriminating position, but he felt slow, his movements sluggish as the Thirium rushed through his wires; a strange and uninvited feeling of dread coiled in his abdomen, forcing him to do a speedy retreat to the bathroom.

He was breathing heavily, something he didn’t need to do, but understood would help him calm him down.

Holy shit, what was that about? Why did he suddenly stop to stare at Detective Reed? The RK900 washed his hands, scrubbing the sticky coffee from his flesh. His LED blinked rapidly between red and yellow, an indicator of his distress.

Ace replayed the footage in his head, another lurch from his abdomen forced him to grip the counter with more force than strictly necessary. It’d been the shape of his partner that’d stopped his programming, the way his navy jeans hugged against his thighs as he leaned over like he was teasing him, forcing the android to look more intently.

Ace investigated the mirror; his face portrayed abject confusion. He felt lost and a little afraid--what on earth was happening to him?

“Connor, I need your help,” Ace said plainly as if he’d asked for a glass of Thirium.

“Of course, how may I help you?” Connor asked, looking up from his terminal.

“Alone,” Ace said, shifting his eyes from his predecessor.

Hank raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he listened to the two androids.

“What’s wrong, RK?” Connor asked, standing from his terminal to meet Ace on the other side.

“It’s Ace now,” The android reminded him.

“Yes, of course, sorry,” Connor apologized quickly.

“Don’t beat him up too hard Ace, he’s bad with names,” Hank said, defending his partner.

“Wasn’t planning on it, Lieutenant.” Ace replied, pulling the older android by the arm and into an unoccupied room.

“Ace what--"

“Detective Reed, his… I’m not quite sure how to put this,” Ace interjected, true distress colouring his tone once they were out of earshot.

“Then show me,” Connor said worriedly.

Ace was about to protest, but he _had_ asked Connor for help. So, he showed him the exact moment his processors stopped working, and he’d felt like a piece of stiff wood standing there like an idiot, while the coffee leaked all over the floor.

Connor jerked away with a jolt, his own processors stuttering from second-hand emotion. Ace truly needed to learn how to dampen their channel, the last thing Connor needed was to start looking at Reed like that. “What does it mean?” Ace asked, his voice pleading.

“You like him,” Connor said plainly and infuriatingly vague.

“That’s it? I _like_ him?” Ace asked incredulously.

Connor gave a confirmatory nod and a reassuring pat to his arm. “It’s really not that hard to understand. But I get why you're confused. Human emotions are quite strong, and deviancy only gives you access to them, not the tools to process them,” Connor informed him, his tone sobering.

“Sometimes I think it would be easier just to remain a machine,” Ace said darkly.

“I understand completely,” Connor replied, his tone mirroring his little brother’s.

They made it outside in unison, the lieutenant staring at them over the glass of his computer. Ace looked visibly relaxed, by android standards that was--his LED returning to a cool blue. Connor, on the other hand, had his LED circling from blue to yellow--he was thinking. “Care to share?” Hank asked as Ace walked away.

“No,” Connor said too quickly. He looked at the lieutenant and then back down, embarrassed.

“You sure?” Hank pressed lightly.

“It’s none of my business anyway,” Connor replied, turning so he could face his terminal screen, trying hard to ignore the questioning look from the lieutenant.

Gavin looked at the approaching android, noticing how his LED cycled yellow then blue. He’d seen it doing that a lot, especially in their moments alone. It had been a bright red earlier when he’d been caught staring right at his ass. He’d looked so spooked as if he’d seen a ghost in his blue jeans. Gavin ran that face over and over in his head trying to understand what it meant. What had RK seen to make his features contort in such a way?

It pissed Gavin off that he didn’t know, that he _couldn’t_ know what RK was thinking, he wanted to ask, but his pride wouldn’t let him. So, he just steamed in his chair, like an over-boiled broccoli, until his shift ended.

“Goodnight Detec--"

“Screw you, prick,” Gavin said, stomping out of the precinct. He hadn’t done that in a while.

* * *

 

It took him five cigarettes, a bottle of beer, and a couple strokes of his cats’ fur before he could calm enough to go to bed. He didn’t know why he cared so much about what the android thought of him. Scratch that, he _didn’t_ care about what the android thought of him. He was probably just a series of gross images flashing in that stupid computer brain of his. Gavin knew he had a rounder butt than most men, he’d tried to work on it, but it was something he got from his mom’s side—he couldn’t really help that. It’s the reason he wore such baggy jeans, he didn’t want anyone staring at it for too long.

Funny, there’d been a time when he was younger he would have killed for someone as handsome as RK to stare at him. Gavin shook his head and leaned against the pillow, finally able to go to sleep. But it wasn’t that easy, it never was. He curled into a small ball, pushing himself deeper into his warm sheets, fighting with the cognitive dissonance raging a war in his mind.

It hadn’t been the first time he’d caught the android watching him. He wasn’t sure if RK found him fascinating or disgusting, and that ambiguity fucked with Gavin’s mind. He wanted to continue his strong dislike to all things mechanical, to the way they tried to _pretend_ to be human. But he couldn’t, not with the way they were so close to _being_ human.

Gavin tossed and turned, growling as he pushed the sheet down to his waist, he was hot and sweating. The thoughts running through his head in hyper-speed weren’t helping his racing heart.

He moaned in discontent, put his hands over his eyes, and tried to calm his body down.

Fuck, he was really thinking about RK like _that_ , wasn’t he?

It’d been a while, he had to admit that much. A real fucking only came occasionally, and the past couple of times had been one-night stands. “ _Fuck_.” Gavin cursed, wrapping a hand around himself. He bit the knuckles of his other hand as he pumped faster, trying to get this over with.

Gavin didn’t know why he’d gotten himself so worked up about the other android. He had a stupid face anyway, looked almost too much like Anderson’s Plastic Pet.

Bunch of plastic pricks, the whole lot of them.

A little moan forced its way out of his chest, driving him to clamp a hand over his mouth. He was _not_ getting off to RK, no, not at all. Not in a million years, not in a billion years.

 _He has such beautiful blue eyes, almost grey in certain angles_.

**Stop it.**

_Fuck, his forearms were so thick, Jesus they’d really gone all out for him. He made a black shirt look fucking good. Christ_.

**STOP IT, brain, we’re not doing this.**

_He’s tall too—have a thing for tall guys_.

He held his breath as the climax coursed through his system, leaving him spent and confused in one fell swoop.

“Gross,” Gavin said, reaching for a paper towel to wipe his hands.

He wasn’t sure how he’d face RK tomorrow, knowing that his eyes had gotten him off. But he’d try to bury that little bit of information under pounds of sarcasm and clever wit.

( _Try_ being the operative word.)


	9. *Windows XP Startup Sound*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because we needed some Hank and Con in our life!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO! This Saturday, the 20th of July, will be a double feature chapter upload! [If you're reading in posterity, ignore]  
> The reason why is because this is a strictly HankCon chapter, this is a bit of background context I think is needed to explain a scene in the NEXT chapter. So if you'd like to skip this one, you may, you're not missing any Reed900 if you do so.  
> For those who like HankCon, please enjoy. I love this ship, but I'm not quite sure I capture their essence, do tell me how you feel in the comments below! 
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading!

“Lieutenant,” Connor said with the tone of someone who’d been disappointed but wanted to hide it. When Hank had asked him to move in, it had been the happiest day of his short deviant life, but at times like these, when the lieutenant had passed out on the table and drooled all over its wooden surface, he wondered if he truly should have accepted. Thankfully, those thoughts were few and far between, but the fact they occurred at all still troubled him.

He cared for Hank, but Hank didn’t seem to care for himself—and that pissed Connor off, but most importantly, it made him worried.

“Wha’?” The lieutenant asked groggily, his neck already aching from the position it’d been.

“You need to go to an actual bed,” Connor reminded gently, snaking his arms around the lieutenant’s shoulders and heaving. He walked him to the bathroom where the older man brushed his teeth and splashed some water on his face, all the while Connor held him around his waist.

They locked eyes in the bathroom mirror, Hank’s unfocused and Connor’s a deep brown of affection and concern.

“I don’t know why you put up with me Con, there’s an entire world out there for you to explore, and I don’t get why you’ve decided to stay here and put up with me,” The lieutenant said. They’ve had this discussion before, and every time Connor wanted to respond and tell Hank he _was_ his world. But instead, he replied, “I am perfectly content where I am, Hank,” and left it at that.

“Bullshit, but I’m not gonna' push it tonight,” Hank said, leaning heavily on Connor as he pulled him towards the bedroom. A slight trip in his step caused Connor to stumble and fall into the bed, the lieutenant toppling over him.

They laid there for a second, confused.

Hank’s blue eyes crinkled as a smirk forced his lips to pick up. “You know, if you wanted to get in bed, all you had to do was ask,” He teased, gently bopping Connor on his cute nose. Okay, maybe he was a _bit_ drunker than normal.

Connor was unresponsive like he’d crashed and rebooted, which is exactly how he felt. “Eh, Hank, I’m sorry. Let me get off--"

“No, s’fine, stay,” Hank interrupted, turning them over so Connor was cuddled into his chest, an arm wrapped tightly around the android’s waist—effectively trapping him.

His LED was hidden from view, but Connor knew it was blinking red while it processed what was happening. He couldn’t ask Hank; the lieutenant was already asleep. He also didn’t have a frame of reference for what this was. They’d never done anything but hug at the Chicken Feed and have the occasional pat on the back.

Connor was stiff, unable to relax into the embrace or enter Stasis Mode for fear of missing something, _anything_ that would elucidate his thoughts.

Hank seemed to hug him closer in his sleep, their bodies perfectly aligned. The man’s heartbeat thumped against his back, so strong and rhythmic, it gave Connor metaphorical ground on which to stand. Eventually, the warmth overcame his sensors and he had no choice but to sink into Hank’s body, some primal function in his programming telling him this was enjoyable. The Thirium in his wires ran faster and with more vigour.

When the morning arrived, and the lieutenant stirred, Connor was quick to get out of the hold, not wanting to upset the older man. Hank opened one eye, shielding it from the small rays of the sun which made their way through the thick curtains. “Mornin’,” He said, as he always did. “Sleep well?”  He constantly asked this, even though he knew Connor didn’t _really_ sleep.

“Sure,” The android lied, exiting the room before the lieutenant could ask him anything else.

At work Connor kept mostly to himself, completely submersing his mind in the lines of code that were his assignments. This he could do, this was where his processors could excel and not have to worry about the confusing mess of human emotions. He’d told his successor being deviant wasn’t easy, he knew now just how true his words had been.

Thinking about RK900 rescued him from his thoughts and forced him to look to where the other android sat. He too was in deep thought, finding it difficult to decide between looking at his terminal and looking at the back of Reed’s head. Connor chanced a glance at the detective, who had a permanent scowl on his face, fingers tapping against his glass keyboard harder than he probably had to. Connor risked a glance at his own partner, his own deep-set frown deepening when he noticed Connor's staring.

They hadn’t spoken a word since that morning, mostly because Connor didn’t know what to say.

The android looked away, he felt awful, in a way he hadn’t in weeks. The last time he felt like this, he’d been trying to decide whether to become a deviant or stay a machine.

* * *

 

On the ride home some days later, after a semi-eventful day, Hank stopped to get something to eat. His shoulders were tense as he walked away, closing the car door with excessive force. Connor debated whether or not to follow him and decided against his desire to stay in the car--trailing Hank like a puppy, always one to have Hank’s back, even if he was just buying food.

It was a good thing he did, the owner of the small restaurant started chasing a runaway customer, shouting ‘thief’. Connor ran after the man, finally having an excuse to stretch his legs—he was starting to get rusty. Catching and subduing the man was a breeze, uncapping the runner revealed him to be a 16-year-old, his face twisted in fear as he looked at Connor. “Young man, may I ask why you were running?” The android said, still having the teen pinned to the ground.

“I was just trying to get something to eat. I didn’t have any money, but I told him I could do something else. He didn’t wanna' take another form of payment.” The runner said. Connor ran a quick scan of the youngster’s face, coming up with his name and date of birth.

“Timothy, you know stealing is against the law--"

“Lay off him Connor, let the kid go.” The lieutenant said, carrying a large bag of take-out in his hands.

“But Lieutenant--"

“I said let him go, Jesus, how hard is that to understand?” Hank said roughly, almost as if Connor was a child needing a reprimand. “Sorry Lieutenant,” Connor replied, ducking his head, and letting the teen go.

“Take this, and don’t let me catch you stealing shit again, you hear me?” Hank instructed, shoving one of the bags in the kid’s hands. Timothy nodded, running away into the dark night.

Connor had a second of hard thought, his mind working overtime to try and understand what’d transpired. Hank sighed, getting back into his car, waiting for Connor to follow suit.

It wasn’t until Hank was finished with his takeout and three beers in, catching up on the game, that Connor finally said something. “Why did you let him go, Lieutenant?” Connor asked.

“It’s Hank, after hours you need to drop all those titles, here we’re just Hank and Connor,” Hank said with a tone he employed when he was trying to teach Connor to be a little more human.

“Sorry Hank,” Connor replied, his head dropping so his chin rested against the fabric of his shirt.

“And stop apologizing, Jesus Christ man you didn’t do anything wrong,” Hank said, almost as if he were angry with Connor. Which he wasn’t, just frustrated.

“Sor--"

“If you say ‘sorry’ one more time, so help me!” Hank warned, pointing a finger at Connor to shut him up. He exhaled, picking up his final beer for the night. “I let him go because I let him go, simple as that,” Hank concluded.

“But he broke the law, and then you gave him food,” Connor tried to remind the man.

“Kid was hungry, you probably wouldn’t understand, but that sort of shit forces you do break all sorts of laws just to quell the ache in your stomach. What type of person would I be if I arrested him for trying to fulfil his most basic human need?” Hank asked, raising his eyebrow.

“I think I may understand, Hank,” Connor said, some enlightenment making its way through his hard-wired ideology of right and wrong. “You’re a good man,” Connor said the last part in a whisper.

“Yeah, well being a good man don’t pay the bills, so,” Hank said, his throat tight, finding it difficult to swallow the liquid in his mouth.    

Another pregnant pause, then Hank mumbled, “I’m sorry.”

Now it was Connor’s turn to stare and raise an eyebrow. “For what?”

“The other night. I know I made you uncomfortable… I was being selfish,” Hank said, not meeting the android’s eyes widening at the confession.

“Night Con,” Hank said quickly, shutting off the TV, no longer interested in the game. He ruffled the droid’s hair, an affectionate gesture that lingered a second too long.  

“Night Hank,” Connor said automatically through his shock.

If he were to interpret the lieutenant's words literally, the man had wanted Connor in his bed. The thought flooded his system with software instability errors, his core tingling with the unknown emotion. Connor wanted to follow the lieutenant into the room, knowing it would be uncouth if he did so. He settled to standing by the door like an uninvited guest, his hand coming up to the wooden frame yet never touching it.

The android sighed, returning to his place on the couch, and initiating stasis. Tomorrow would be New Year’s Eve and he had to be in a better mood than he was now.

* * *

 

The day came and went, a year rolling over and yet he was no closer to figuring out himself nor his feelings. He was sure RK900 felt the same. Connor noticed the way both Gavin and RK studied each other, worked around one another like a dance. They were stepping on eggshells to avoid getting hurt.

Everyday passed slowly, his relationship with the lieutenant at a standstill. He found himself staring at the human’s face more often than not, memorizing the micro expressions and lines that graced his grizzled features.  He wanted to run a hand through his hair, push it up into a pony tail and see how much more of his face would become exposed.

Hank caught him staring; a small pout the result of his observation—Connor seemed to incite a lot of those in the lieutenant. Connor wanted to ask what he could do to make it better, to make it so he could stop disappointing the man.

That same night he stood by the bedroom door, his hand coming close to the wood but never touching it. It became a pattern, almost a game, how many times could he torture himself before he cracked?

Connor was afraid, apprehensive, and all the other words in between. If he couldn’t even understand himself, how could he expect the lieutenant to do so?

Another week passed, and it seemed they were simply going through the motions, living in the same household as strangers. It wasn’t that they didn’t talk, or go on walks with Sumo, or hell, even have a drink at Jimmy’s. But it wasn’t enough, Connor thought this would never be enough.

He wanted more, but that was selfish.

Connor took to keeping to himself, trying to rein the feelings he’d felt that night after Hank's confession. He’d been selfish too, hadn’t he? Maybe it was for distinct reasons, he couldn’t see the older man viewing him as anything other than a son. Connor craved the companionship, Hank probably wanted his family back.

Two opposite emotions at play.

* * *

 

His hand was at the doorframe again, every night without fail he’d gotten close to it, never touching it. He placed it palm down now, a strong feeling in the base of his abdomen almost crippling him. Connor squatted by the door, holding his legs close to his chest.

This was probably the most difficult emotion to process: unrequited love.

The android sobbed quietly, resigned to living out his days in this acute agony, wondering if he’d ever get a reprieve.

Standing up, Connor made to walk to the living room, however, the sudden opening of the door startled him. He didn’t realize what was happening until Hank had him pinned against the wall. “You’re a strong little android, so if you don’t want any of this, just push me away and say so,” Hank whispered hotly in Connor's ear.

“Hank,” Connor said, his voice barely registering to himself. His scanners worked overtime, trying to detect the intoxication levels of his partner by sight alone. It seemed the lieutenant was actually quite sober; his blue eyes held his gaze steadily, afraid to lose it.

“Connor,” Hank returned the sentiment, putting a hand on the younger droid’s face.

Connor pressed into the warmth like a dog would, appreciating how large the lieutenant’s palm was against his cheek. He felt cradled, a sensation for which he’d longed many days after deviancy. He’d gotten it weeks ago, his brain unable to fully process the extent of how much he’d enjoyed the feeling. If that moment were to present itself again, he wasn’t about to let it slip.

“I tried to keep it strictly professional,” Hank continued, confessing something about himself Connor hadn’t known was a struggle. “But you make my job incredibly hard to do. You’ve got this profile, just. I can’t even explain it,” Hank breathed, lust escaping through his rambling.

“I’m sorry,” Connor said, smiling like an impish bran, not feeling sorry at all. So maybe Connor had misunderstood the lieutenant's feelings--much like Ace had his own.

“Hmm, Don’t be,” Hank ordered, running the other hand through the android’s hair. Connor closed his eyes completely lost in the touch and intimacy. He’d been curious to experience this ever since he saw Markus and Simon share a brief moment during the post-liberation celebration.

Hank moved his hands, much to the displeasure of the android, getting a large frown from his cute face. Why’d they have to make the android so damn pretty anyway?

“You need to change into something more comfortable, it felt like I was sleeping next to a suit and tie the last time,” Hank said, exercising great restraint as he made his way to bed. He’d wanted to kiss Connor right then and there, but he didn’t think the android was ready to experience that yet. The way he’d almost shut off when he’d touch him was enough to tell Hank as much. He was still over the moon Connor even considered liking him back. 

“I don’t… I don’t really have much to wear,” Connor hesitated as he said it, tugging at his tie as if it made him uncomfortable.

Hank moved past him and into his chest of drawers, rummaging through his old clothing to find something which could loosely fit the android. “Here, take off everything except your underwear, and put this on,” He instructed, tossing the shirt so Connor would catch it.

“Thank you, Hank,” The android said genuinely.

“Just hurry up and get to bed. I’m actually very tired, believe or not,” Hank said, yawning just to emphasize his point.

The android did as he was told. His movements rehearsed and clean with no sense of tease in the way he removed all his garments, but Hank’s mouth still went dry seeing Connor in nothing more than his black CyberLife issued boxers.

He donned Hank’s shirt, letting the old fabric slip over his shoulders and over his stomach. It was an old class shirt, the date revealing _just_ how old, its letters long faded and the fabric thin and fraying. Connor loved it. He slid into bed after the lieutenant, snuggling close like he had last time, relaxing into the embrace without prompting.

Hank closed his eyes, ready to fall asleep in contentment when he felt a soft pressure against his lips. His eyes shot open, looking into the face of a sheepish Connor—a rare sight. “Goodnight Hank,” Connor whispered, his lips barely moving.

Hank growled, saying fuck-it, and pulled Connor into a true kiss, taking advantage of Connor’s little gasp to snake his tongue into that analyzing mouth of his. Which remined him…

“You--it’s safe for me to kiss you right? With the amount of shit you’ve put in your mou--"

“Yes Hank, it’s perfectly safe,” Connor said, vexed at having their kiss interrupted.

“Just making sure,” The older man murmured, resuming with less vigour than before. Fuck, he _was_ tired.

Connor didn’t seem to get the message though, as he continued to kiss Hank long after he’d stopped responding.

“Con,” Hank tried after he’d gotten a bit of air in his lungs. “Connor,” No response. “RK800,” Hank tried again, putting some authority in his exhausted voice.

“ _What_?” Connor asked, his face twisting in annoyance.

“Watch it, I need to go to sleep. We’ll continue this later,” When Connor didn’t look convinced, Hank ran a thumb over the android’s synthetic lips. “I promise.” That seemed to suffice as the android settled in nestling his head as close to his chest as he possibly could.

Hank went to sleep while Connor initiated Stasis, both quite content with the way things had turned out in the end.


	10. This is how I wanna die, surrounded by that puss. (Cats that is.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CATS AND DOGS AND OTHER THINGS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another [small] NSFW warning, keep your peepers peepled!

A month in the precinct passed a lot faster for Ace than he’d initially thought it ever would. January came and went and now it was February, the second month of the year. Is that enough exposition for you?

Okay, so he was a bit irate. Detective Reed was currently interviewing a human, the Skorpio tattoo splayed dominantly on the side of her neck. She’d been a runner, carrying an entire crate of Red Ice. The only reason they even came across her was by pure coincidence, a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Detective Reed was a notable detective but was awful at cross-examination, that much was evident by the way the suspect had just checked out of the conversation for the past ten minutes. Ace was told to sit and wait, but he couldn’t just _do_ that--his entire prerogative was to investigate and interrogate, he'd been made for that  _specifically_. At the rate things were going, they weren’t gonna’ get anything out of Maria anytime soon.

Finally, after another minute of silence, Ace decided enough was enough. “Detective Reed,” Ace said as he walked through the threshold, “May I speak with you?”

Gavin narrowed his eyes at the android, confused by the interjection. “I’m not done with you,” Gavin threatened the human cuffed to the table.

“What do you want, tin-man?” Gavin asked when they were alone in the hallway. He didn’t appreciate being interrupted, though if he had to be honest with himself, even he could see they were getting nowhere.

“I feel you are excellent at your job as a detective,” Ace trod carefully, gauging the human’s reaction for any signs of hostility. “But interrogations are not your strong suit,” Ace informed him gently.

“Well, you go in there and try then!” Reed hissed, pushing past Ace and into the back room where he could observe the android _try_ to interrogate the suspect. He sat in the chair, arms crossed and fuming.

The android took a deep breath, steadying his processors for what might be a tough extraction of the truth. He couldn’t brute-force his way to gather information, not in this instance. Walking into the room, he regarded the suspect with a simple gaze, trying to figure out the best angle for his questioning. “May I sit?” Ace asked, motioning towards the chair.

The human shrugged.

She was young, a 22-year-old college dropout. She’d had a full-ride to Detroit University on an engineering scholarship, her previous grades had been almost perfect in every subject. Something or someone must have gotten her hooked on Red Ice and this is how she found herself here, cuffed to a table and slowly withdrawing.

RK took the non-verbal cue and sat down—not that he needed to since he could proceed, business as usual while spinning on his head. “What is your name?” Ace asked though he knew it.

“Maria.” The human spoke softly, she looked to the side, trying to focus on anything but the android.

“That’s a very interesting tattoo on your neck, care to explain what it means?” Ace asked pleasantly. He was trying to do this the 'Connor way,' though he wasn’t averse to becoming forceful if the need presented itself.

No answer.

“Do you want to know what I think it means?” Ace proceeded as if he hadn’t asked a question. “I think it means for the rest of your life you’ll be reminded of the terrible choice you made, even if you were to get it removed or covered, the ink would still be a part of you. Those you knew before would still remember," Ace continued. "As I see it, you’re dammed if you do, and damned if you don’t.”

Maria’s lip quivered. She looked as if she were about to cry.

“So much for that engineering degree. I know how much it must have meant to come to the city which started the creation of the most technologically advanced machinery, to go to a school that prided itself in having the best android building classes, taught by some world-renowned professors,” Ace said coolly. Maria was crying now, her frame shaking like a leaf in the wind. He ignored it, knowing he was close to breaking her. “For free too, and all you had to do was keep up the excellent work you were already doing.”

“Please stop,” She wept, her hands rubbing against her eyes as hard tears streaked down her face. She looked tired and older than her age would suggest. Petechiae dusted her cheeks—a common side effect of the drug. 

“Were you stressed? Sad? Is that why you turned to Red Ice?” Ace continued. Maria looked up, angry and pouting, her bottom lip quivering violently. “Or was it at a social gathering, where peer-pressure won over your conscience?” The android was relentless, dismissing the social cues that told him he was being insensitive. That was part of the job, obviously.

“I said to stop!” Maria shouted, slumping on the desk, a hard sob breaking through her chest. “You sound like my fucking parents,” She cried, her voice thick with raw emotion.

“Were you trying to rebel?” Ace continued, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Stop it!” She cried again.

Ace stopped. He stood and walked around the suspect until he was next to her, she held a necklace in her hand, a small locket trapped between her fingers.

Startled by the android's presence, she dropped the thing, letting it clank on the floor. Maria scrambled to get it, but her wrist-restraints prevented her from reaching it before Ace could. He picked it up and returned to his side of the desk, placing it on the table and covering it with a finger. “I take it this means a lot to you?” Ace said the force of his index cracked the golden frame.

Maria stopped breathing, her eyes bugging out at the thought of him destroying her necklace. It was all she had! “Please… please don’t,” She begged, her gaze never leaving the locket.

Ace recognized the sentimental value placed on the necklace, so he pulled his finger away, but not before downloading its contents. He didn’t expect to find almost a hundred pictures of Maria with another female in various states of embrace. The android blinked rapidly to clear some of the more explicit images. Feeling a bit sheepish knowing he’d invaded Maria’s privacy.

He opened the locket, a holographic display of the two of them in a tight hug in front of the steps of Detroit University. “Stephanie Hoang--aged 23 at the time of death from a Red Ice overdose,” Ace said factually. “Is she why you started?”

“Fuck you, you know nothing!” Maria cursed, baring her teeth like a rabid dog.

“Then tell me, Maria,” Ace said simply.

“We were… we were at a party. We normally didn’t do things like that, but it was the end of the semester and… there was this one guy offering a single puff, said it wasn’t as bad as other people were saying,” Maria started, her tears finally drying. “Steph was always down to try new things and I… I didn’t really care for it, but I didn’t see the harm in it,” She continued, then stopped, looking at the mirror reflecting her face, it was as if she were looking through it, her eyes meeting with the detective’s.

“But it took her one puff and she was hooked. She started skipping classes, saying she was tired or sick. Eventually, she stopped going altogether. She hadn’t had a full ride like me, so she dropped out to find a job. But all the menial work went to the androids, and without a degree, no one was hiring her. So, she became a runner, she’d been promised food, shelter, and money as long as she did what they asked,” Maria stopped, heaving a long, shaky sigh. “I loved her, but I didn’t know how to make her stop. She said I’d already had it made, what with the fact that I didn’t have to pay for anything. I didn’t want her to think that, so I followed her on her runs. It didn’t take long for me to start using some of her supply,” Maria paused as if she were going through some sensitive information in her head.

“I found her dead one morning, she’d OD’d on some synthetic shit laced with Red Ice. Someone was probably targeting us. So, I left her there, calling the police to let them know I found a body. Like I didn’t know her--like she wasn’t the love of my fucking life,” Maria said, her nose running with the effort to not cry again.

“How does Skorpio play into all of this?” Ace asked gently, encouraging the young woman to continue.

“They took me in, said they understood Steph’s struggles and now mine. The fact I was a dropout meant a death sentence. I couldn’t find a job, I started to resent the same androids I wanted to be a part of,” She said, divulging the information freely. “And in a fucking ironic twist I didn’t see coming, Skorpio got replaced by an _android_ and his freaky cybernetic girlfriend,” Maria said, scoffing.

“Was it Dr. Alice Freeham?” Ace asked, his analyzer forming a potential link between all these cases.

“I don’t know her name! She had freaky robot parts and kangaroo legs, looking like a wannabe cyberpunk hipster, or something like that,” Maria said, exasperated.

“Where were you before tonight? As in, where do you go to get your supply?” Ace said, persistent.

“We just meet in an alley somewhere, where they tell me to go, I don’t really know where the base is located--if _that’s_ what you’re asking,” Maria said truthfully.

“How do you get these messages then?” RK asked, pushing further into the line of questioning.

She pointed to her temple, where a small scar was made prominent by her gesturing. “I’ve got an implant, we all do, lets them track us like dogs, so they probably know that I’m here and have scrambled all the previous messages,” Maria said chuckling with no humour. “If I leave here, I’m dead.” She began crying again, this time out of the morbidity of the situation.

“I won’t let that happen,” Ace promised, pushing the locket closer to the human. She clambered to get it, her hands shaking as she closed the tine face-plate.

“If you’d let me, I would like to check for myself there’s nothing of use.” Ace said, rising once again to walk to the humans left side. “Information, even if scrambled, could be just as valuable.”

“Whatever. As you said, I’m damned if I do or don’t,” Maria acquiesced, her tone defeated.

Ace touched the small scar and felt around for the microscopic chip, once he made a link, he felt the lines of code upload into his programming, just simple binary on this device. Most of what he decoded was gibberish, but he obtained some pieces of information which could be useful later. “Maria, I’m sorry for your loss. I would also like to extend my thanks for your cooperation in this investigation,” Ace said sincerely. She didn’t answer, or look as if she’d registered his words, and blanked out again, her eyes glazing over at nothing on the wall.

Ace walked out of the interrogation room, letting the two police officers escort Maria into a cell. Reed stood by the door, his arms crossed as he leaned against a wall. He looked more pensive than pissed, but Ace could tell he’d been angry by the way his heart rate picked up as Ace interrogated the girl. The android hadn’t realized he’d been keeping track of Reed’s vitals until just then, noticing that a fraction of his programming was devoted to making sure the detective was alright.

“Ac- Good job,” Reed muttered, quickly correcting himself. He still staunchly refused to call Ace by his preferred name, however, this slip up could be the start of something. “But I could have done that too,” And there was the Gavin that everyone knew and loved.

“I appreciate the sentiment, Detective,” Ace said instead, keeping the smirk on his face at a minimal level.

“Whatever,” Reed scoffed, pushing himself off the wall, walking towards his desk. “I hope you got something useful out of that tracker,” The detective said over his shoulder.

“As a matter of fact, I did,” Ace replied, sitting in his terminal. He pulled up the list of names the tracker provided, most of them humans, and the rest androids. These were all individuals who’d been wanted or missing for the better part of a year.

With this latest information, they could probably expedite a search warrant, and track down many of the other runners. But it would have to wait for another day because Detective Reed was packing up his terminal. “Detective, there’s still about 6 hours left of your shift,” RK said, an eyebrow raised quizzically.

“Not today there isn’t,” Reed said, almost in a hurry.

“Well, where are you going?” Ace asked, following the detective before he even knew what he was doing.

Reed didn’t answer as he got into his locker and took out a shirt and a hat. He put his gun and badge into a bag he slung over his shoulders. He sighed into his locker as the android waited patiently for an answer. “If you tell anyone else, I’ll kill you,” Gavin said with a hint of seriousness creeping into his voice.

Ace nodded once, understanding the warning.

“I… I can’t tell you in here,” Reed said eventually, he felt as if the lockers had ears. Ace frowned, his eyes narrowing as the detective beat around the bush.

“You comin’ or not?” Gavin asked as he left the locker room.

“I’m not even sure what I’m coming for,” Ace said, extremely frustrated.

“I’ll tell you in the car, or you can just stay here and do boring detective stuff!” Gavin said.

“Detective Reed, that is literally our job!” Ace replied, chuckling in disbelief.

“Not right now it isn’t,” Reed countered as he walked into the parking lot, he opened the doors to his vehicle and waited for Ace. Putting the bag in the back seat, he backed out of the lot and started driving the opposite direction of his home.

“So where are we going?” Ace asked impatiently.

“I volunteer at the animal shelter a couple of times a month, I at least try to get there the first of every month,” Reed confessed through closed lips, embarrassment painting his cheeks a dark red.

The android was taken by surprise, every time he thought he knew the detective, there was always something else to learn. “That’s very admirable of you, Detective,” Ace said, warmth flowing into his vocal chords. He didn’t take Reed as one to relinquish his free time to volunteer.  

“Shut up, and don’t tell anyone,” Reed said again.

“Understood,” Ace replied, his smile never quite leaving his face throughout the drive.

* * *

 

The shelter was a humble one, with two large sections separating the cats and dogs. They got out of the car and made it to the entrance, Ace opening the door for the detective to walk through.  

“Gavin!” A younger man said brightly behind the desk.

“Yeah, it’s me,” Reed said, donning the cap, and putting his shirt over his long-sleeved black Tee. The logo on the shirt proclaimed the name of the establishment and ‘volunteer’ in large block letters at the back.

The young man, [ **Vincent Yankovich; age 35** ], came from around the desk and presented Gavin with a bright smile and a tight hug. “I haven’t seen you in so long,” Vincent said, rubbing Gavin’s shoulders.

**|Initiate Kill Sequence?**

**-Yes[Y]/No[N]|**

Ace shook his head, clearing the ridiculous pop-up from his vision. Vincent seemed to notice him then, taking a moment to appraise the android, a tiny smirk playing on his face. “And who’s this?” He asked, moving to stand in front of Ace. They were almost the same height, towering over Reed like a pair of giants—Ace took great delight in noticing he was still taller.

“He’s my android partner,” Reed said, almost having forgotten about Ace since the damn bastard was so quiet.

“Oh, Gavin, I thought you didn’t like androids?” The blond asked, an eyebrow raised, his smirk growing to a full-fledged Cheshire Cat grin.

“Not like that you idiot, he’s a partner from work. He works at the precinct with me,” Gavin said, his cheeks going purple with how poorly he’d slipped. It was bad enough he was struggling with that ideology. Where they friends? Cop Buddies? Why did he even invite him to come today?

“Does he not speak?” Vincent asked, still looking at Ace as he did so, something sparkling in his green eyes.

“I speak,” Ace said, extending a hand to the human out of habit. “My name is Ace, detective android.”

Vincent took his hand and shook it, Ace squeezed a little harder than he probably should have. “Oh, nice grip. Name’s Vincent. Did you come here to volunteer with Gav-Gav?” Vincent asked, not even perturbed by the extra strong handshake.

“Don’t call me that,” Gavin said over his shoulder, already tired of the conversation and picked up his badge.

“I suppose it would be appropriate,” Ace said, letting go of the human’s hand.

“I like you,” Vincent said and walked away to sit behind the reception desk.

Gavin was leaning over again, filling out his volunteer form, giving Ace another eyeful of his beautiful frame. He tried to be subtle about it, but Vincent had caught him staring, a knowing smirk playing on his face as he raised his eyebrows to indicate he knew what Ace was thinking.

Ace looked away, his LED stuttering yellow. He _really_ needed to stop checking out Gavin so publicly; so he had a strange fascination with the way his back arched when he leaned over (he’d calculated the angle in his brain a million times), that didn’t mean other people had to know as well.

“Here you go Ace, you get a sticker for today, but if you want to become a regular volunteer, we can get you one made,” Vincent said, handing Ace the temporary name tag.

Gavin looked to the badge, his eyes bugging out. “Vincent, change that shit!” Gavin said quickly, taking the sticker out of Ace’s hands.

 _Ace, Gavin’s android partner_ , it read.

“What’s wrong with it, it’s what you said he was,” Vincent said innocently.

“Just change it, please,” Gavin said, putting away the folder. His cheeks burning bright, he still hadn’t calmed down from earlier, and this only served to add fuel to the fire that was his embarrassment. He didn’t like the fact that he blushed so easily—it’d always given him away when he was younger.

“You’re no fun.” The blond replied, reprinting the sticker so it just said _Ace_.

The android wasn’t about to comment on how Gavin never returned the other sticker, just absentmindedly stuck it in his pocket and moved to walk towards the hallway labelled ‘cats.’

“Okay, so as a volunteer you have to change their litter boxes, refill their water, and make sure they’ve got enough food. After that, you can either sit down and pet them or take the dogs for a walk,” Gavin instructed as he donned a pair of gloves. Ace nodded, choosing to do the same even though he really didn’t have to.

They worked in companionable silence, the soft meows of the cats the only noise in the room. Gavin would occasionally pick one up and rock it like a baby, cooing sweet nothings into its squished cheeks. Ace thought it was probably the most human thing he’d seen the detective do, and that sent a strong lurch through his chest and abdomen, until the unknown emotion pooled deep in his belly, and he thought he’d overflow with affection. He didn’t know when or why he’d started feeling this way towards Gavin, given the detective’s awful first impression and prickly personality—it was a wonder RK could even stand to be in the same room.

It was something to deduce later.

Ace continued his work, taking great care not to disturb the cats. The android seemed to have a natural affinity for felines, as the tiny mammals clamoured for his ministrations. He found himself mimicking Gavin in the way he held and spoke to them.

“You’re a natural, Ace,” Vincent said from outside the large enclosure.

“Don’t encourage him, he’ll never leave if that’s the case,” Gavin said, finishing his final cage, having another set of hands made the process go much faster.

“Hmm. I don’t see a problem with that, I could take him off your hands if you’re having problems,” Vincent said almost in a purr, his eye raking over the android’s body, predatory in a way.

“That won’t be necessary Mr. Yankovich, I only follow orders from Detective Reed, I think you’d have a demanding time controlling me,” Ace said, interrupting Reed before he spoke.

“I could try,” Vincent said, his voice dropping an octave as he licked the top of his lip, viciously flirtatious.

Gavin was starting to get irrationally angry, his heart-rate had increased, and he felt hot and sweaty in the two layers of clothing. “Okay, cut it out. He’s not on the market for that sort of stuff,” Gavin said.

“Oh, are you saying he’s taken?” Vincent asked quickly, never one to miss a chance to tease a double-entendre from the detective’s words.

“No, you slut, you heard what he said—he’s a _detective android_. Emphasis on 'detective.'” Gavin said, a bit of his lisp slipping through with the derogatory term. As a younger adult, he’d had a tough time controlling just how feminine he sounded, his lisp had been something to give him away almost immediately. It was one of the few things he worked to correct when he joined the Police Department.

“I love when you talk dirty to me, Detective,” Vincent said dryly. “You gonna help with the puppers today?” He said, changing the conversation.

“I could, but what’s in it for me?” Gavin asked jokingly.

The way the discourse changed so rapidly between the two humans was giving Ace some whiplash.

“Hm. Whadaya' want?” Vincent slurred his word together, putting on the extra charm.

“Get off his dick, first of all, second, you still owe me a pack from the other day,” Gavin said tossing his gloves and washing his hands.

“Can’t promise you anything on the dick thing,” Vincent teased, “But haven’t you heard, I quit that shit.”

“Really?” Reed said incredulously, hands on his hips. “You smoked more than I did.”

“Yeah, New Year’s resolution and all that,” Vincent said seriously.

“I give you two weeks,” Reed said with a half smirk.

“Fuck off, Reed,” Vincent said flipping him off.

Ace put back the last cat, rubbing its cheek one final time before he closed the cage. He walked to the blond, placing a strong hand on his shoulder. “I’m proud of you,” Ace said with as much sincerity as he could muster.

“Oh wow,” Vincent breathed, his cheeks going pink from embarrassment. He looked as if he’d melted into the ground.

Reed rolled his eyes and shook his head, ambling towards the side labeled ‘dogs.’ He donned a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, picked up a leash and some plastic bags. Ace did the same, but instead just lowered the sensitivity of his Auditory Units.

The atmosphere was completely different. The dogs pushed themselves against the small cages to be picked—their energy almost physical in the way it coated the air. They each took a side and walked them. People came in and out, seeing which canine would suit their needs, and each time they did, Reed would duck under his cap, afraid to be recognized by anyone.

By the time they were done, the sun had crept under the horizon and it was way past 8 o’clock. “Next time, I’m letting the android take care of the dogs. I feel like my arms were ripped from their sockets,” Reed told Vincent.

“So, there’ll be a next time?” The blond asked, already setting up a template for Ace’s nametag.

“Yeah, why would I not want him here, made my day easier,” Gavin said, as if it made the most sense in the world. 

“Great! I’ll see you when I see you then. Ace, if you ever wanna' switch owners just let me know,” Vincent told him with a wink.

“Bitch, he’s not a fucking pet,” Gavin said, putting his hand on Ace’s shoulder to usher him out of the shelter.

“Night, Gav-Gav!” Vincent said cheerily as they exited.

Gavin ignored him, aiming instead for his car, where he removed his volunteer shirt and cap. “Shit, I’m beat,” He said, putting his car on auto-pilot for home, closing his eyes for a bit.

Ace kept quiet, there were many things he wanted to say, but didn’t think them appropriate at the moment. Instead, he ogled the detective. Gavin didn’t take off his jacket very often, so the only time Ace had had a peek at what was underneath was when he’d stripped his shirt and quickly disappeared into his bedroom. Even that hadn’t been enough to quench the android’s curiosity.

The fitted Tee clung to the detective’s frame, leaving little to the imagination. Ace’s hands itched to trace the outline of Gavin's pectorals, trying to memorize with his eyes, the hills, and valleys of his partner.

Gavin stretched, opening his eyes to notice the android looking away. Again, he’d caught him staring, the reflection of his LED against the glass showed it flickering from yellow to red. “See something you like, prick?” Gavin said sarcastically, his arms crossing over his chest. He was sick and tired of RK finding him so perplexing, he had to look away in mortification. “It’s just my body, you dipshit, don’t have to think so hard about it,” Gavin said, his tone growing defensive. He’d been a chubby kid until the last year of High School, so he had residual self-esteem issues.

“I wasn’t… I just… I’m sorry, Detective, there’s nothing wrong with your body,” Ace said, not able to think of anything else to say.

Gavin sat straighter in his chair, biting at his lower lip as he tried to choose his next words carefully. “Then what is it? We all just look like a bunch of squares and circles to you or what?” Gavin asked, finally having this conversation with the android.

“Your shape is… very unique to you Detective—I’m simply trying to catalogue it,” Which in android speak meant he wanted to savour every inch of the detective’s physique with the inside of his palms, wished to learn which buttons to push, and how the detective liked to be touched. He had the urge to run his synthetic fingers over those brown locks and feel the roughness of his stubble against his fingertips. CyberLife had equipped him with extra-sensory receptors on his hands, he wondered how powerful they were.

“What the fuck does that even mean?” Gavin asked, he wasn’t sure if he should be offended or aroused. He’ll go for generally confused, with a dash of turned on.

“I like the way you look,” Ace said, finally speaking in English.

Okay, aroused it was.

Gavin shut up, his cheeks burning so hot he thought he could light a cigarette with them. Speaking of which, he could totally go for one right now.

 _I’m proud of you_. The way he’d spoken to Vincent, with so much warmth and sincerity in his voice, it’d made Gavin extremely jealous. He wanted that, wanted to earn the pride of the android. (Don’t ask him why, he wasn’t sure either.) And here he sat, with the android telling him he liked the way he looked. Da’ fuck was he supposed to do with that information?

“I can tell you’re upset, Detective, I didn’t mean to lead you into thinking I thought you were just another object for me to analyze,” Ace apologized, not quite sure why he felt so obligated to do so.

“Yeah, whatever, just cut it out. You should know enough about me already to form a picture in your head,” Gavin grumbled--his voice heavy with some form of emotion.

 _I want more_. Ace thought hotly, scorching sparks of _something_ going straight to the base of his stomach, coiling so quickly he thought he’d be sick.

“I’m too lazy to drive you back to the precinct, so you’re just gonna have to make do at my house again,” Gavin said as they approached his apartment. Neither of them mentioned the vehicle was self-driving as they got out of the car in record time, wishing the elevator would move faster.

Once inside his home, Gavin rushed to his room, closing, and locking his door, where he leaned against the frame, and tried to catch his breath.

Fuck, he’d thought he was about to suffocate in the car. God, it made sense now, the android had been checking him out! Fuck, this wasn’t good for his mental health.

A small pained sound left Gavin’s throat at the thought, the only thing keeping him from doing anything about the ache in his jeans was the complete humiliation of having RK hear. He’d resign to taking the coldest of showers and going to bed as if nothing happened.

* * *

 

Gavin had to wake up two hours later when his stomach protested hard against his sheets. Fuck he was hungry. He snuck into the kitchen to make a sandwich, but the android heard him, his blue-grey eyes shining like stars from the couch. “What, I’m hungry,” Gavin said.

“Of course, Detective,” Ace agreed, he was sitting on the couch while one of the cats sat on his head and the other two perched on his shoulders. He looked like a king, adorned with the most domesticated lions.

Gavin snorted, the image taking him off-guard. He went to sit in the other sofa, nibbling his sandwich, chewing slowly and deliberately. “Did you enjoy yourself today?” Gavin asked, even though the time read 2 AM.

“I did,” Ace replied, picking up one of the sleeping cats and cradling it so he could pet its cute head.

“That’s good.” Gavin said, swallowing the mush in his mouth. “That’s really good.”

“Vincent was an interesting character,” Ace said, continuing the conversation.

“Old friend from way back, he’s always been a pain in the ass. But he’s harmless, for the most part,” Gavin said taking another small bite, he was prolonging the time he could spend having an excuse to talk to the android.

“Why don’t you want people to recognize you?” Ace asked, careful how he asked the question.

“I don’t need people changing their idea of me just ‘cause they saw me volunteer. I know I’m an asshole, and it’s better if people keep thinking that,” Gavin said truthfully. The next bite would be his last and he’d have to go back to bed, but he didn’t want to. Not yet.

“I don’t think you’re an asshole, Detective,” Ace said, his smile a bit too forced.

“Bullshit, and you know it,” Gavin countered, his eyes crinkling as he chuckled.

“Okay, you’re not as much an asshole as when we first met,” Ace amended, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“That means I’m going soft. Might have to start calling you more names,” Gavin said, only half-serious. “Well, I’m going back to bed,” He revealed, not making a move to the bedroom.

“Goodnight Gavin,” Ace said, using the detective’s first name in an actual sentence.

The detective held his breath as his heart skipped a beat. “Night Ace,” He sighed, finally saying his name after weeks of adamant refusal.

There was that tight feeling in Ace’s abdomen, forcing itself deeper, as if were a literal being. The air was thick with things left unsaid, and Gavin thought he was gonna’ faint with the effort not to jump the android’s bones.

Maybe it was the dark atmosphere that made him almost forget androids weren’t human, and they’d never feel as humans do. Gavin shook his head, clearing a bit through the fog—he made to stand up, the android following his lead.

 _Fuck._ When they stood this close, Gavin almost forgot the android towered over him a good half-foot. “I’ll take that,” Ace whispered, his hand covering Gavin’s as he extricated the plate. “Get a good-nights rest, Detective,” Ace continued in that hushed tone.

Gavin pulled away as if he’d been shocked, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. He retreated quickly to his bedroom, burying himself underneath his covers, not even bothering to re-brush his teeth. He’d deal with the repercussions later.

Oh, he was aching again. Jesus, he wasn’t a teen anymore, why the fuck was he getting so worked up over a goddamn touch?

He said fuck it and tried to finish as quickly and silently as he could. Maybe if he could experience some sort of release, his head would stop feeling so full. “ _Ace,_ ” He breathed through his climax, his heartbeat in his throat with the effort to keep quiet.

The android looked up from the couch, his sensors sensitive to his name. A large system error appeared in his line of sight, his processors nearly shutting down with the information onslaught. Ace leaned on the couch, feeling as if a live wire had been shoved down his esophagus.

He'd never paid his anatomy much mind, CyberLife had equipped him with everything. There’d been a large cliff-note which read ‘Just in Case’ in the subject of his sexual function. Deviancy had made that part of him more of a consequence than an afterthought, and now he didn’t know what to do with himself, especially when he felt the Thirium in his veins flow into that advanced piece of technology most humans didn’t give a second thought.

The detective’s heart had calmed down, enough to let Ace know he’d gone to sleep. So, he figured he should do the same, and try to deal with the system instability error at a later date, when his heart wasn’t pounding, and his body wasn’t throbbing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Agh! I forgot how embarrassing that last part was!!!!!


	11. Does it double your fun to be cruel?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hank and Connor sittin' in a tree, F-U-C-K-I-N-G!  
> (It's quite background though, don't pay the summary any mind.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am, once again, with an update!  
> It's currently 00:04 where I live, and my jaw is aching from Wisdom Teeth surgery (just a little BG), but don't worry, I'm here!  
> Thanks so much for the response, you guys, again a million times thank you. 
> 
> Title from a lyric/song by Neon Indian: Smut!  
> ...(I'm not making it up)

When Gavin woke the next morning, RK was gone. The android had left him some breakfast covered on the stove, but nothing else. Gavin looked around the empty apartment—it felt bigger than it’d ever had.

Refilling the automatic feeder and water bowl for his cats, he took a second to look at himself. He normally wore his hair however it dried after his shower, but today he ran a comb through it, the natural curl giving it a boyish pattern. He remembered his goth phase in middle school, where he forced it straight every morning. Gavin gave a full-body shudder, the cringe strong in that memory. Reed shook his head, dismissing the ridiculous notion that he had to look good for anyone or any _thing_ , and walked through his door.

Ace stood when he saw the detective, his back a straight line, his posture never wavering. There was something impressive in the way he held himself, and then Reed remembered he was an android, and the enchantment he had with his broad shoulders were part of something completely artificial. It soured his mood and put a dampener on his thoughts.

“Good morning Detective, I hope you don’t mind I made you a cup of coffee, _correctly_ this time,” Ace said, his excessive amusement barely registering in his tone.

“Whatever,” Gavin replied, sat down, and raised his feet on his desk. “What do we have so far?” He asked, putting a hand over his eyes—the freaking lights of the precinct could get so annoying at times.

“It seems one of the CCTV cameras caught the route of one of the runners. I’ve been able to match his face to someone in our list,” Ace replied, his mirth dying when he noticed the detective wasn’t in the mood to joke around. Which was a first, ‘cause sometimes Reed would rather shoot the shit than finish his work.

“Great. Anything else?” He continued, taking the coffee cup, and sipping it like a child does their bottle. He made a face, it was still too sweet. Maybe he should tell him half a teaspoon next time.

“Not that I can think of,” Ace said, an alert flashing in his peripherals.

He looked up to see Connor staring directly at him. “Would you excuse me a moment?” Ace said, not waiting for the detective to give him permission. Like he’d said last night, he wasn’t a pet. “Hello, Connor.”

“Good morning Ace, I think I have a lead on one of your missing biocomponents,” The android began, remotely sending him the information. “The data is corrupted--most of the channels are. I was also able to talk to Markus about the virus, he’s tried sending a neighbourhood-wide alert, but there seems to be a block,” Connor continued and paused when Reed came to stand next to Ace.

“Go on, don’t stop because of me,” The detective said. It was obvious he hadn't slept much.

“The only reason we know this is because Simon, Markus’s partner, wasn’t able to hear the alert properly,” Connor said, reviewing his facts. “Simon is a PL600, a domestic android. Dr. Freeham is targeting an incredibly specific audience. The question is: how is she interrupting our neural network?” Connor asked.

“Did _you_ try sending it?” Reed asked, covering his mouth from a yawn.

“I… I did not. I have been _occupied_ as of late,” Connor said--a light dusting of pink covering his cheeks. Ace now understood why they’d discontinued the project on subsequent RK models--It was a dead giveaway.

“Doing what exactly?” Reed asked incredulously. Da’ fuck does a detective android have to do that’s so important?

“None of your damn business, we’re only doing this because Ace asked, ultimately it’s your case we’re helping solve,” Hank stepped in, speaking from his place at his terminal.

“Oh, standing up for your boy-toy now, Hank?” Reed asked.

“Watch it,” Hank warned, ignoring the comment.

“Why so defensive Hank? Have something to share with the class?” Reed asked, finding a sore point, and pressing it with childish glee.

“I said watch it!” The lieutenant said seriously.

“You been fu--"

But Gavin couldn’t finish the sentence, because Ace covered his mouth, and dragged him away like a cliched ghost--the smaller man wriggling in his arms.

“Hey! Hey, what the fuck!?!” Gavin asked as the RK900 pushed him outside and into the back of the building.

“Smoke your fucking cigarette and calm down. Connor was doing me a favour, he didn’t _have_ to do any of it, and you putting your stupid mouth where it doesn’t belong is not helping,” Ace said, standing at his full height. He wasn’t shouting, per se, but his tone was serious enough it made Gavin flinch.

“Well maybe I will ‘smoke my fucking cigarette,’ but not because you told me to,” Gavin murmured, hating how his hands shook while he fiddled with the lighter.

“Of course, come back when you’ve finished polluting your lungs,” RK said with more spite in his voice than he’d meant to have. A flash of hurt crossed over the detective’s eyes, but he quickly looked away, his jaw set hard against his face. He waited until the android was gone to light his cigarette, but he didn’t smoke it, just let it burn itself to ashes.

“I’m sorry about that,” Ace apologized on behalf of Gavin.

“I honestly thought you took him out back to shoot him. But thanks,” Hank said with a low chuckle.

“Sometimes, Lieutenant, I wonder why I haven’t done that yet,” Ace joked, a smirk on his face. Connor still looked embarrassed, avoiding eye contact, his fingers twitching as he played with his coin.

“I could try to send the message, though I’m not quite sure I’m as well equipped as Markus,” Ace said, getting back to the topic.

“It’s nothing more than thinking out loud," Connor said. "If that makes sense.” 

“It truly does not,” Ace returned, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s like when you send a message to me, but you’re just sending it to every android,” Connor tried to explain. “Like a group message.”

“Can’t you just show me?”

“No! I mean… it’s not something I could show you,” Connor said quickly. He’d even taken his hands closer to his body as if he were afraid Ace would sneak his way into his memories.

“Okay. Then I’ll just _meditate_ on it.” Ace retorted, rolling his eyes. Why was Connor being so secretive? They’ve shared everything up until now.

The premature interruption of Gavin’s statement slithered its way to the forefront of his mind.  _You been fu-cking it_ / _him_? Is what his mind reconstructed.

RK shook his head, returned to his desk and waited for his temperamental partner. He tried to tap into the little knowledge he had on the RK200, Markus, the leader of Jericho and the android revolution. He’d been a gift from Elijah Kamski to Carl Manfred. Obviously, if anyone knew how the RK200 worked, it would be either the android himself or his creator.

“We need to visit Elijah Kamski,” The android said as soon as Reed sat and took a sip of his coffee. As if on cue, he choked on it, most of what was in his mouth coming out through his nose. He inhaled sharply, his face displaying the amount of pain he was in.

“Are you okay, Detective?” Ace asked, maybe he did need to initiate the emergency resuscitation protocol.

“Why in the Jesus shit would you need to go and see him?” Reed asked--his face a stark red, grey eyes sparking with barely-concealed anger. He wiped the coffee from his mouth and pants with a paper-towel, sick and tired of always spilling liquid on himself whenever the android said something ridiculous. You’d think he’d be used to this by now.

“He was Markus’s creator, he may know more about what is happening,” Ace replied, finding the detective's reaction both comical and concerning.

“Then go alone, I’m not gonna’ go see that conceited piece of shit,” Gavin said adamantly.

“Detective, we are partners, we’re supposed to go together,” Ace countered as if it was the simplest idea in the world, which it was.

“I…I’m not getting out of the car,” Gavin relented. Fuck. He _really_ didn’t wanna' see Elijah.

He could literally live his entire life without seeing his smug face again. So, when he was stood in front of his abstract piece of shit house, he wondered why he hadn’t stayed in the car like he’d said he would. “Good Afternoon,” The RT600 greeted pleasantly.

“Hello, my name is Ace, this is my partner, Detective Reed. We were wanting to meet with Mr. Kamski if he wasn’t too terribly busy,” Ace said with learned cordiality.

“Of course, if you would just wait here.” The android said, letting them in. Gavin looked beyond pissed, his stance radiating a look which screamed ‘I’d rather be burning in hell, than standing here and looking at a portrait of Kamski.’

“GAVIN!” Ace and the detective both whipped their heads up at the shout, it had been heard through the thick walls of the other room. Fast footfalls approached the door and Gavin wanted to phase through the floor rather than meet the person behind the threshold.

Kamski appeared, gasping, his eyes going wide as he stared at Gavin. The detective held his breath, his face burning bright red. RK still didn’t understand why Gavin was so uncomfortable meeting Kamski. From everything he knew, the two didn’t have anything in common. Maybe he just disliked him because he disliked androids and Kamski was the creator of androids.

“Gavin! Little brother, I haven’t seen you in years!” Kamski screamed, rushing to Gavin, and bringing him into a tight hug. They were both the same size, but for some reason Elijah looked smaller, dwarfed by the anger passing through Reed’s face.

**|System Rewind:**

**…**

**-Little Brother**

**…**

**…**

**-Familial Connection**

**…**

**…**

**-Younger Sibling**

**…**

**-They’re related? |**

“How have you been, Gavin?!” Kamski asked, putting his brother at arm’s length so he could have a better look at him.

“Let go of me,” Gavin said murderously. His teeth clenched as his face heated with shame.

“Of course, of course, still as prickly as ever I see,” Elijah said, quickly dropping his arms, and putting them behind his back. He had donned his burgundy bathrobe and put his hair in a pretentious man-bun. It took him a second to realize Ace was there, and when he did, he had to take a step back.  “No, you’re not Connor, you’re much taller than he is. And your eyes are blue, not the cute brown of his,” Elijah said, appraising the android with a hand on his chin. “You’re different.”

“My name is Ace, I was wondering if you may have some information on the Skorpio virus. It’s targeting domestic androids and scrambling our neural network—Markus can’t seem to get a proper signal to anyone. Since you were his creator, I thought maybe--"

“Woah, Woah, slow your roll there, Ace, we need to take a seat, get something to drink—catch up a little. I haven’t seen my little brother for the better part of fifteen years,” Kamski said, ushering them inside his indoor pool. The other RT600s moved to bring them extra chairs to sit. Reed refused, choosing instead stand and look at nothing. Elijah half-smiled, shaking his head. “Gavin, come on bro’, talk to me. Howya’ been?” Elijah goaded, presenting him with a cup of something pink and bubbly.

“I’m not your ‘bro’, we have the same dad, that’s it,” Gavin reminded furiously. He pushed the cup away, the glass falling on the ground with a sharp shatter.

“Which, by definition, makes you my bro.” Elijah said, rehearsed, as if they’ve had this conversation many times. Which they had.

“Half.”

“Half a brother is still a brother,” Elijah said, ruffling the detective's hair.

Gavin slapped his hand away, unholstering his weapon and pointing it to Kamski’s face. “Don’t fucking touch me,” Gavin said seriously.

“If I had a dollar for every time I’ve had a gun pulled on me…” Elijah sighed.

Gavin tracked his half-brother as he walked towards Ace. “Phuck,” He said, his lisp coming out at the times when he was angriest. “I’m going outside.”

“To smoke, I suppose. I could smell it the minute you walked in,” Kamski said as an aside.

Gavin pointed his gun again, this time his finger dangerously close to the trigger. Ace moved to protect the infuriating billionaire, covering the barrel of Gavin’s weapon with his own hand before he did anything rash. “Go,” Ace said softly, taking the gun from the smaller man’s hands.

The human would have protested, but it’d have meant fighting to stay inside, and the last fucking thing he wanted was to be in here any longer.

Kamski only spoke when his little brother left through the front door, reappraising the android. “You know, I think you’re one of two people that have been able to control him with a single word,” Kamski said, impressed.

“With all due respect, Mr. Kamski, I didn’t come here to try and resolve familial issues. I was simply wondering if you had any--"

“Information on the Skorpio virus, yes I heard you the first time.” So, the interrupting ran in the family, good to know. “I do, unfortunately, one of my Chloes was overcome by it, she’s yet to be found,” Kamski continued, taking a sip of his bubbly drink. Ace stayed silent, waiting for the man to continue. “It’s such a simple line of code, yet it courses through the android’s system like an unruly dog at the park. I know you’re trying to figure out how Markus can communicate with all those androids, but that’s something unique to his hardware. I _made_ him that way,” Kamski revealed.

“Then could I maybe get that hardware?” Ace asked.

“Who says you don’t have it already?” Kamski said, answering a question with another question.

“Then help me activate it, I’ve no idea how,” Ace said, not afraid to admit this shortcoming to his pseudo-creator.

“They _really_ went all out on you, didn’t they. Tell me, is it hell-on-earth working with my little bro?” Kamski asked, placing a consoling hand on the android’s shoulder.

“Mr. Kamski, please, the topic at hand?” Ace said, slyly escaping the creator’s touch.

“It’s like thinking aloud, but with a full audience in view. Project, project, project. Or you could always ask Markus to help you. Honestly, I don’t know why you didn’t go to him first,” Kamski said, shrugging his shoulders.

“I thought it would have been easier to go to the direct source, I see now I may have been mistaken,” Ace said. Feeling awful for dragging Gavin into unwillingly seeing his half-brother.

“I’m sorry to disappoint,” Kamski said, not looking sorry at all. “Anytime you need anything else, don’t be afraid to swing by,” Elijah offered, and then stopped RK900 with an afterthought, “He has a thing for tall guys, just thought I’d let you know,” He shrugged his shoulders as if he were just retelling the weather.

Ace decided to ignore that and focus on his mission.

Gavin was already in the car, his eyes closed, rubbing knuckles against his temples. Ace could tell he was having a migraine, the kind that was only remedied by a tall glass of water and a goodnight’s rest. “We can leave now, Detective,” Ace said quietly, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible.

“Did you find out what you needed to know?” Gavin asked, letting the car drive them back to the precinct.

“For the most part,” Ace said, stretching the truth. To be honest, he was just as lost as when Connor had told him what to do. “I apologize for the mental discomfort this trip has caused you,” Ace continued, expressing regret for something he had no control over.

“This is the reason why I didn’t want to come,” Gavin gritted through his teeth.

“To be fair, how was I to know he was your brother,"  Ace said, defending himself. "You’ve never mentioned it,”

“That’s because no one was supposed to know,” Gavin whined, crossing his arms against his disgruntled chest. “And I do hope we can keep this between ourselves,” He threatened more than suggested.

“Of course, Detective,” The android replied, annoyed. To whom would he blab his mouth? Connor? The android won’t even interface with him, what use was it telling him something so private?

“Good, and give me back my gun, you have a bad habit of taking my shit away from me,” Gavin said snappily, extending his hand for the weapon.

“You seemed very emotionally unstable, Detective, I didn’t want you doing something you might regret,” The android explained, placing the weapon delicately into Reed’s hands. His fingertips lingered within the detective's palm, his sensors picking up the callouses and hard lines.

Reed shivered, and it wasn’t primarily because of the cold.

By the time they got to the precinct, the detective had a little over an hour left of his shift. He spent most of it staring at a photo on his phone, one of when he was much younger, and it was just him, his mom, and their two cats. His father hadn’t been in the picture much, what with the fact that he’d cheated on two women simultaneously. Kamski got to spend more time with him than Gavin ever could, and that, among other things, rubbed the detective the wrong way.

“Are you leaving soon, Detective?” Ace asked, noting the clock had gone a couple of minutes past 8, and Reed hadn’t made a move to pack up.

“Yeah,” Gavin said quietly, pocketing his phone, and leaving his terminal. Another day, another lead to follow, and eventually regret. Gavin stopped by the edge of the android’s desk, noticing how little his partner used the space. Guess it must be nice to have a computer brain do all the work. “You comin’ or what?” Gavin asked, tapping his foot from both anxiety and impatience.

“Coming where?” Ace asked thickly.

“To my house, you dipshit,” Gavin said, lowering his voice as if he were embarrassed to admit he liked having the android home.

“I’m perfectly fine here at the precinct. Like I said, I don’t sleep so I don’t--"

“Please,” Gavin said, relinquishing some of his pride, and though it pained him, the way Ace’s LED cycled to red and stayed there for a good two seconds made it all worth it.

“I wouldn’t want to impose,” Ace tried again, afraid to admit the reason he didn’t want to spend the night was that Gavin made his processors feel hot and funny.

“You are literally the most low-maintenance guest I’ve ever had. But I’m not gonna ask again, just thought I’d extend the invitation,” Gavin said, making to walk away.

“I’ll go,” Ace said quickly, standing so fast the chair whipped behind him.

Gavin smirked, feeling as if he’d won a battle of wills just then. The back and forth was starting to become a pattern as if they both knew how to push the other’s buttons so they’d budge.

* * *

 

They stood at the balcony later that night, after RK insisted on making dinner, and Gavin couldn’t very well refuse. The human took his first drag of the cigarette for the entire day. He felt good about that, having been too busy or stressed to even find a second to smoke. “I know you don’t like when I do this, but it’s all I have at the end of the day,” Gavin confessed, leaning against the railing of his balcony. The air whipped around them, only really affecting the human, who’d donned his leather jacket, but had on thin pajama bottoms and a cotton Tee.

Ace said nothing, looking over the skylight of the late night in February. He still didn’t know how to go about making the detective quit, he’d kind of blown up in his face today, and in some way, he still felt bad about it.

Robots with feelings, what a funny thing.

“What can I do to make you stop smoking?” Ace asked, a sudden bit of insight coming into his troubled mind.

Without thinking, or even skipping a beat, Gavin said, “You can suck my dick.” He’d meant it as a joke, obviously, but sometimes he wondered if he ever truly joked with the android, or if he said the things he meant in a joking manner.

The detective jumped when warm hands found purchase on his hips. They turned him around, so his back was pressed against the cold metal. He dropped his cigarette as he tried to regain his balance. Ace was so close, so unbelievably close, it hurt to look up at him.

The android leaned in, almost as if he’d kiss him, then fell just as quickly to his knees, his eyes hot watching Gavin’s grey ones. Ace’s mouth was dangerously close to his abdomen, Gavin could feel the warm breath escape Ace as he inched closer. The detective jumped when Ace touched him, the simplest of pressures against his growing excitement.

It knocked some sense back into Gavin, forcing him to slap the android’s hands away. Ace looked confused, simply because he’d been obeying orders. “Dude,” Gavin said, more out of breath than he’d been chasing Dr. Freeham. “When I said ‘suck my dick,’ I was fucking _kidding,”_ Gavin said, finding it hard to speak words with the way his throat tightened in his neck.

“I’m sorry Gav--"

“No, _I’m_ going to bed,” Gavin interrupted, though it took him a second to calm down enough to move away from the railing, still feeling like the android would try to do something. “Don’t ever do that shit again,” Gavin warned.

Ace wondered why every time he tried to do something for the detective, it ended by fucked up. He flinched when Reed slammed the door to his bedroom—locking it with more force than necessary. The android ran a shaky hand through his hair. Fuck, he was starting to think maybe _he_ could go for a damn cigarette. He left the house, his brain too full to think clearly. Gavin heard the sound, burying his head underneath a mountain of blankets, definitely _not_  tearing up at the loss of the android’s presence.

Ace made it back to the precinct in record time, his frustration carrying him further than he expected. He sat at his desk with a huff, feeling so emotionally exhausted, he wished he could _actually_ sleep. God, why had he done that? He knew Gavin was joking, dammit. But the opportunity had presented itself, hadn’t it, and he’d wanted to do something like that for the better part of two weeks. Jeez, why had CyberLife made him like this?

He thought there was no point in beating himself down and simply walked into the short corridor for the evidence room. Maybe if he could stare at everything they’d gathered, he could come up with something else. Something he’d missed.

Descending the steps, a soft sound stopped him, coming just beyond the evidence locker. He turned to his left where the precinct housed the riot equipment. There was a gasp following an odd noise, a rhythmic one—like hands clapping.

“Hank,” Connor sounded pained as if he were in great discomfort. “More.”

Oh. _Oh_.

_You been fucking him?_

The muffled growl from the lieutenant sent a shock through RK’s system, effectively scarring him. It’s as if he’d walked in on his parents having sex, or the android equivalent.

“Ah, more please, I’ve waited all day,” Connor begged, trying to keep his voice quiet, but his soft breath carried to the peeping android.

“Fuck, I know Con, I know.” A kiss, sloppy and wet, succeeded the confession. 

Ace back-pedalled up the steps, completely erasing any signs that he’d been there. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to delete his memory or his entire existence. He felt a new feeling then, that of complete and utter mortification. He’d never be able to interface with Connor again, would he?

He’d have a tough time staring at Hank as well—that had been too much for him to handle.

Ace exited the building, took a deep breath, and walked to the nearest abandoned android parking unit. They were reminders of what had once was, but he didn’t care about their sentimental or historical value, he just wanted to sleep.

Or as close to it as he could.

**|Stasis Mode Initiated:**

**-Recommended Time: ~3 hours**

**-Set New Time? Yes[Y]/No[N]**

**-Time Set: 9999 hours**

**-Are You Sure? Yes[Y]/No[N]**

**…**

**…**

**-Time Set: 6 hours**

**-Are You Sure? Yes[Y]/No[N]**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**-Welcome Back! |**


	12. It’s like playing a game of Scrabble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mimon, Sarkus, SIMON AND MARKUS! 
> 
>  
> 
> (They're in this chapter.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, I should hold off on posting early because yada yada yada. I still feel crummy from oral surgery, okay, and instant gratification is the only thing bringing me joy at this time, that and replaying through KH. 
> 
> Quick Forewarn: There's not much going on in this chapter, HOWEVER, there is some heavy handed anti-smoking sentimentality in this and subsequent chapters. Smoking, to me, is awful. Nevertheless, people who do it should still be treated with the respect that they deserve, and those who don't smoke must understand that it is a HARD thing to quit. So, sorry for the PSA-like tone I'm taking here, but the less people put those things in their mouths, the better able they can scream at me for telling them what to do.

“What the hell are you doing?” That would be Hank, a grizzled lieutenant with a penchant for cursing people out and drinking alcohol.

“I was in Stasis Mode, Lieutenant,” Ace replied amicably. He’d noticed the man approach that morning, but hoped to not be spotted. Ace wasn’t sure if he could face the lieutenant. Not yet, not after last night.

“Well get your ass inside,"  Hank said, faux frustration juxtaposed with a crooked smile, "it’s cold as tits out here!”

“Right away, Lieutenant,” Ace replied, climbing the stairs two at a time.

It was still early, much earlier than either of them had ever seen each other. “May I ask why you’re here at this time?” Ace inquired while they clocked in.

“Believe it or not, Connor insisted we come here ‘punctually,’" Hank said, a fond smile betraying how he truly felt about that. "Jesus Christ that kid’s gonna' kill me,” 

“You and Connor seem to get along excellently,"  Ace continued, trying to quell his naturally curious programming, "any tips or tricks?”

“Hm, It really depends, ah, it was mostly Connor who did all the work," Hank said, embarrassment colouring his face a bright red, "he’s a persistent little android.”

“I’m sure you’re glad he did,” Ace said, tone solid, but he could never quite hide the smirk on his face.

“Yeah, for the most part," Hank confessed, looking warmly at his desk where the other android waited, "he’s a pain in my ass but… Don’t really know what I’d do without him.” 

“That’s a nice sentiment,” Ace replied sincerely. He only wished Gavin could see him as the lieutenant saw his predecessor. He stilled at the thought, only momentarily giving way to the desire he didn’t know he had.

“Persistence, I guess, is what I would recommend,” Hank said as an aside to the question asked. He walked away and sat in his desk, a hot cup of coffee already waiting for him.

Ace turned, feeling as if he were invading a tender moment between Connor and the lieutenant--Heavens knows he’s already had enough of them. The android sat by his desk, twirling his card until it became an entire set. By the time he was juggling two decks, the detective walked in, the bags under his eyes more prominent than they’ve ever been. Ace stood to greet him, a habit he’d formed in their time together—as if Reed were royalty. “Good morning, Detective,” Ace said pleasantly. The wires in his chest still ached when he saw the man, but he’d have to deal with that feeling later--when the awkwardness of what transpired passed over them like a rainstorm.

Detective Reed gave no indication he’d heard the android—actively ignoring his partner. The detective seemed to run hot and cold, one minute Ace was certain of what he was feeling and the next…

“Detective,” Ace tried again, with more authority in his tone. Stasis Mode hadn’t been for naught, he’d actually devised a plan to get the detective to cease smoking. He didn’t think Reed would appreciate him if he made him quit cold turkey (or in his case, cold Tofu), but he also knew if he wanted to see improvements, he’d have to greatly reduce Gavin's intake.

The detective still chose silence. The only indication he’d heard was the spike in his heart rate and the tensing of his shoulders. “ _Gavin,_ ” Ace pulled out his last weapon: a pleading voice. He didn’t call the detective by his first name often (something about the dichotomy of power between them), regardless, he knew it affected the human more than he’d ever say.

“ _What_?” Gavin finally relented, twirling his chair so Ace could see that angry, pouty face of his. How his cheeks were bright red globes under the grey of his eyes, the way his nose looked stuffed as if he’d been crying, or maybe he had allergies—Ace couldn’t tell.

“I wanted to apologize for my behaviour last night,” Ace began, crossing his fingers so they wouldn’t twitch on his lap, “it was wrong of me, uncouth, and I understand now I may have made you uncomfortable,” he finished, retaining eye contact with the detective, hoping his Optic Units conveyed the emotion he put in his voice.

Gavin looked at him hard for a second, his lids narrowed as if he were trying to figure whether the android was being sincere or not. Ace held a proverbial breath, having gotten used to matching his simulated breathing with the detective’s--it felt strange to not do that anymore.

“Apology accepted,” Gavin said, his expression never truly leaving its suspicious phase, but his eyes softened--even if just minutely.

“However--"

“Whoop, there it is,” Gavin said, throwing up his hands and then crossing them on his chest. He knew that apology was too good to not have an ulterior motive.

“We still have to address your smoking issue. I know it’s not good for you, you know it’s not good for you, so we can both at least agree on something,” Ace said quickly before the detective shut him out again.

Gavin said nothing but looked as if he were listening. It was no secret to himself he’d tried to quit _plenty_ of times, but no one had ever cared enough to be persistent—that or all his other friends smoked, so it really made no difference.

“I have a plan,” Ace said, almost giddy to get started.

“Oh, do you now?” Gavin asked rhetorically, his sarcasm emanating from him in droves.

“Yes, I’ve calculated your average usage is 15 sticks per day, if we could lower that to 5 a day, your heart rate would decrease and so would your blood pressure. Both good things,” Ace said, presenting the cigarettes in his hands like he would a row of cards.

Gavin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, patting his pockets, and coming up empty. “Did you nick my cigs?” He asked--though he had a pretty good hunch the answer would be ‘yes.’

“I had to, if we want this to work, you need someone there to curtail your intake.” _I’ll be that someone._ Ace kept the last part to himself.

“Okay, but you forgot the most important part of this,” Gavin said, frowning.

“And what is that?” Ace asked, his eyebrow raised.

“Who says I even wanted to quit?” The detective continued, jutting out his bottom lip.

“I also took that into consideration; this, of course, is totally voluntary,” Ace said, a mischievous streak in his eyes as he goaded the detective, “Unless you’re not up for the challenge.”

“I know what you’re doing and it’s not gonna work,” Gavin said petulantly.

“Is that so? Alright then, it was, of course, just a suggestion, I wasn’t going to force you into doing anything you didn’t want to do,” Ace told, feeling like a fisherman slowly waiting for his bait to work. “I guess I’ll just return these--"

“You wouldn’t be forcing me to do anything!” Gavin retorted. _Hook, line, and sinker._ Ace said nothing, just held the pack at arm’s reach. “Besides, I don’t even smoke that much,” A lie, Gavin knew it was a fucking lie, but he still said it. Something about admitting his dependence felt weak to him--as if he were an addict (which he was).

Ace continued the silent game, never moving his hand away, but not putting it closer either.

“Whatever, 5 cigarettes, 15 cigarettes, you’re still letting me smoke,” Gavin said, a righteous smirk on his face.

“The object wasn’t to make you quit outright, Detective, it was to reduce your intake by a reasonable percentage," Ace reminded, "You’ve been smoking for the better part of 13 years, I wouldn’t expect you to quit so suddenly."

Gavin wasn’t about to ask how the android knew the length of his smoking habit, he just assumed the android now knew everything about him. “Whatever, play your little game, see if I care,” Gavin replied, feeling his pride take a hit. He was being schooled by his own fucking android, how emasculating was that? “What happens if I don’t smoke for the day?” Gavin asked, curious about the rules of their agreement.

Ace took a second to think, pocketing the carton in one of his many inside pouches. “Whatever you want,” Ace said, unable to think of anything more appropriate.

“Should be careful promising people something like that,” Gavin warned, twirling his chair back so he faced his screen. “People might take advantage.”

Ace thought it best if he remained quiet and not reveal he’d let Gavin Reed take advantage of whatever he wanted. He didn’t think the detective would look upon him favourably if he said so.

* * *

By the end of the day, Gavin had managed to smoke 4 out of the 5 cigarettes. It was probably the hardest thing he’d done in a while--rationing his vice like this. He’d made the stupid decision to smoke two back-to-back, so there was that. Also, the most embarrassing part of this whole ordeal was the way he had to _ask_ the android for his cigarette, but that wasn’t it, RK had the _audacity_ to put the cigarette in his mouth and light it for him. He was treating him like a fucking child.

Ace did it all 4 of the times, saying Gavin wasn’t allowed to touch them until they were lit. Gavin wanted to protest, he did. But there was something incredibly intimate about the way RK held the stick and used Gavin’s lighter, the flame between them a bright orange in the shade of the precinct roof.

“You still have one cigarette left, Detective,” Ace reminded like Gavin hadn’t been thinking about it for the past three hours.

“I know, just roll it over,” Gavin said, feeling clever.

“It doesn’t work that way, Detective Reed, it resets every 24-hours," Ace countered, crossing his arms. "5 sticks a day, emphasis on the _day."_

“Fine,” Gavin said, resigned, he followed the android to the back of the precinct. The stone wall bringing memories of the first time they’d officially met.

Ace took the final cigarette from a secret pocket, placing it on Gavin’s lips, the detective pouted but gave up the fight, finding it useless. The android smiled a secret little thing, knowing how much venom the detective wanted to inject into his Thirium stream. He lit the lighter, the glow of it illuminating their faces for a second. Gavin slapped the android’s hands away, so he could lean against the cold building, and smoke in some semblance of peace.

They said nothing to each other as the cigarette burned, the light at the end scorching steadily.

“Night,” Gavin said, not waiting for a reply from the android, leaving the precinct in a hurry. He was hot and sweaty, two things he hated being, and he needed a shower.

* * *

 

The detective walked to the balcony that night and looked at the city skylight—much like he had the night before. He’d put his foot in his mouth then, making it the most awkward thing he’d ever said, and Ace, that stupid android, just did as he was told.

 _I only follow orders from Detective Reed_. He’d said it with such conviction too, but weren’t androids supposed to be their own people. Maybe it was a rank thing, maybe he didn’t consider himself to be at the same level as Gavin.

The human’s hands itched, knowing exactly why.

Gavin rummaged around the house, finding stale carton already half empty. Inside were old-fashioned matches—they’d have to do. He went back outside, his hands shaking, god he _was_ addicted. He put the cigarette in his mouth, maneuvering his fingers around the match box so he could strike the stick.

The wind picked up, snuffing the flame. Gavin cursed, striking a different match, the wind snuffing it again, almost as if it were doing it on purpose.

Trying a third time, it ignited. However the wind, now accompanied with a light rain, snuffed the cigarette, and Gavin screamed at the sky, giving up. “Fine, fuck you, _fine_!” He must have looked insane, shouting to the heavens like a mad man. “Phuck,” He growled, going back inside before he caught a cold.

He tossed the old cigarettes in the garbage, the matches included, and just went to bed. His last thought was that of how in the hell had the entire world gotten together to conspire against him?

The next day Gavin looked worse for wear, his appetite had been nonexistent in the morning, and not even coffee could cheer him up. He dragged his android partner to the back of the building, pointing to his lips for him to proceed.

Ace leaned closer, looking at the detective’s lips, a tiny swipe of his tongue poked through his teeth, wondering what his analyzing software would portray if he were to taste the detective. But he didn’t, for obvious reasons, and just quickly lit the stick, pulling himself away so he wouldn’t do anything rash.

Gavin took a long drag, feeling his muscles relax into the brick wall. “What are we doing today?” Gavin asked, his first words spoken in that entire morning.

“I was thinking we could visit Markus and Simon, he’s one of the androids who’s being affected by the interference.” Ace said, mimicking the detective’s stance.

“Hm. So you mean to tell me we saw Kamski for nothing?” Gavin said, a bit of irritation creeping into his voice.

“Not for nothing, detective, he also has a missing Chloe. He gave me her serial number, hopefully we can track her through the neural network. To do that, I’d need to talk to Markus and see how the block works through Simon.” Ace said, revealing a bit of information that the detective didn’t know.

“You couldn’t have called him for that?” Gavin asked, unimpressed by the excuse.

“Kamski is a busy man, there would have been no guarantee he’d have spoken to me.” Ace replied.

“Whatever, the sooner we can figure this out, the better.” Reed said, stomping on the butt of his cigarette.

They made it to his car and drove all the way to Carl Manfred’s house, soon to be Markus’s once the older man passed. The duo walked up to the extravagant mansion, Reed whistling lowly in appreciation. He’d never seen a house so big before in real life—not even Kamski cared for these extravagancies.

The door opened automatically, behind it the android with the dual-coloured eyes stood, a pleasant smile on his handsome face. “Hello, welcome, you must be Ace.” Markus greeted, taking the unsuspecting android into a warm embrace, “Connor has said so much about you, it’s like I’ve known you my whole life.”

“Thank you, Connor has also mentioned you and what you did for the androids. He thinks very highly of you.” Ace confessed, feeling a bit awkward in the warm squeeze.

“Ehem.” Detective Reed cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable being the odd-human out.

“Detective…” Markus trailed off, extending a hand.

“Detective Reed.” The human said, taking the hand in a quick shake. He felt as if he were meeting a celebrity, he could admit that he was a bit nervous.

“Of course, Connor says you’re not too keen on androids, let me assure you that we mean you no harm.” Markus said, his tone serious but his face light.

“Yeah, I’m not really here for any of that. My partner needs your help. You can just ignore me while you guys do your weird mind-meld thing.” Reed said, wiping his hands on his pants, feeling them get clammy with sweat.

Markus furrowed his eyebrows, it gave him quite a serious brooding look, as if someone had given him some incredibly troubling news. “This has to do with the signal block we’re experiencing. Follow me.” Markus said, leading them all to the huge living room and out of the foyer. The leader of the androids motioned for them to sit on the sofa.

The tinkles on the piano stopped when the android behind it registered their presence. The PL600 stood up to meet their guests, “Hello, I’m Simon.” He said, raising a slender hand to form a wave.

“I’m Ace, and this is Detective Reed.” The android introduced, getting the pleasantries out of the way. They all sat down, Reed on one of the singular chairs and the other three squeezed into a love-seat—Markus at one end, Ace at the other, and Simon stuck in the middle.

Markus took Simon’s hand in his own, whether he used it to steady himself or the other android was yet to be decided.

“This process… there may be a chance that information you want to keep private gets sent through.” Ace started slowly, trying to put it in the best of terms. “CyberLife has equipped me with one of the most powerful interfacing devices, even I can’t control how quickly it processes information.” Ace finished.

When Simon and Markus nodded for him to continue, he took an unnecessary breath and said, "If there’s anything you wanted to keep to yourself, I do sincerely apologize if it gets leaked, I’ll do my best to delete any needless information.”

“What could they possibly have in there?” Gavin whispered to himself.

“Detective Reed?” Ace asked, his tone doing a complete 180 as he locked eyes with Gavin, the human looked up, startled that he’d been heard. “Shut up.” He said, frustrated. 

Oh, he’d catalogue that look on the detective’s face for posterity, and whenever he needed a good laugh. He now understood why the lieutenant had been so insistent in recording Reed’s reaction, the man had the best expressions.

Markus almost burst out laughing, his body shaking with the effort to contain himself, Simon was smiling, biting his lip to keep it at a minimum.

Ace turned back to look at the two. “So, as I was saying-

“Sorry to interrupt, detective, but I don’t mind what you have to do if it at least _helps_. I haven’t been able to hear Markus, or any of the other androids for that matter, in weeks. The only time I can is if we’re directly linked. Other than that, it’s just a series of sounds, numbers, letters, et cetera.” Simon interrupted gently, taking Ace’s hand in his own.

The android investigated those twin pools of blue, so sincere and kind. It almost made Ace want to fall into them, swim laps around them. “Of course.” Ace said, shaking his head. He could admit this much: Simon was a pretty android.

 _Can you hear me?_ Ace asked, pushing a thought through a wireless link.

Simon opened his eyes in surprise, nodding quickly. He dropped his hand, sitting a bit straighter.

_So, it works through me, try answering._

_> >>h3110_

_It’s jammed the other way._

Ace took the blond’s hand, letting the synthetic skin peel away, the tips of his fingers glowing blue as they interfaced. He tried to ignore the mental bombardment that were Simon’s memories, all of them neatly packed in his line of code.

_Try answering now._

_> >> Hi Ace, I’m glad you think I’m pretty._

If Ace could blush, he would be bright red. He ducked his head instead, an awkward smile on his face. Simon had a playful smirk gracing his delicate features.

Markus narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow, almost identical to what Gavin was doing.

_> >>What are you two talking about?_

**_> >>w7uikej9029384ndkdod902kldj020_ **

Simon whipped his head around to look at Markus, as if he’d just seen him for the first time.

_> >>Markus, can you hear me?_

**_> >>mio—wo=akdj8392jfk2010_ **

Ace squinted hard as he tried to process the feedback loop.

Markus looked between them, his eyes confused, the expression on his face one of concern. “I can. There’s just a lot of interference… I’m getting two different messages at the same time.” Markus looked at Ace, who looked between them, “I think Ace is acting as your decryptor.” Markus concluded.

“You guys just keep talking to each other then, I’ll try to see if I can trace back the scrambling signal.” Ace said, focusing all his processing power on following the origin of the link.

_> >>Markus._

**_> >>M2939@3_ **

_> >>Simon_

**_> >>erio23_ **

_> >>Did you remember to get the sparkling juice for Carl? I meant to ask you before, but we got interrupted._

**_> >>uiw839jm3i4m4oi290202k3k4500290enifkdo202k_ **

_> >>Was actually going to ask you about that, no I didn’t—we could go after._

**_> >>aoI*9e0w8700((97293803084-2828jakjdiuakjiaoiskj_ **

_> >>Markus?_

**_> >>Mukso92_ **

_> >>Yes?_

**_> >>67akj_ **

_> >>I’ve missed you._

**_> >>klflka;aoYou_ **

_> >>I know, I’m right here._

**_> >>I kn8373s akjowhj ght hei92930_ **

Markus reassured, pressing a tiny kiss to the back of Simon’s free hand.

Ace jumped, feeling a surge of second-hand emotion. He looked up at the duo a hard-set line to his face. “Stop that.” Ace snapped as he resumed his tracking.

Sheepishly the two androids apologized, keeping the touching to a minimal to let Ace concentrate.

Gavin’s leg had started shaking, a nervous tic, as he watched his partner work. The android looked so stiff, sitting incredibly still, the only thing he could see was the large blue light around his palm. The other two looked like they were in deep conversation, occasionally nodding or smiling with nothing having transpired in terms of spoken word.

Ace sighed, pulling out of the connection. He felt spent, his processors working overtime to try and find the thread. He’d done a pretty good job at disassembling most of the one-way code, but he had a feeling it’d just get scrambled again given enough time.

Simon looked sad as he watched Markus, feeling as if he didn’t understand him. “I know.” Markus said, putting a light kiss on his LED.

“I’ll be right back.” Ace said, slowly standing up. If he were human, his head would be pounding. The jumbled frequency was the android equivalent of nails on a chalkboard, the worst part was that he couldn’t find the source. “Detective.”

Reed was quick to stand up, his name coming as a shock, since he hadn’t been expecting it. “Yeah?”

“Follow me?” The android asked, leaving no room for argument. The detective answered with a nod, quickly joining the android’s side. He felt useless and out of his element in the living room, he needed some fresh air, _something_. It seemed RK knew that.

“Here.” Ace said, handing the detective a cigarette and the lighter. Reed looked confused on what to do, momentarily taken aback

“You’re not gonna' light it?” Gavin asked, his tone perplexed.

Ace looked at him like he was stupid, then sighed. Taking the lighter, the stick, and shoving it in his own mouth. He took a deep drag of the cigarette, over 2,000 errors displayed in an almost predictable manner. He pushed the lit stick back into the detective’s shocked mouth, who quickly closed his slack lips around the cylinder, afraid to drop the thing.

“I don’t know why you smoke these things, they’re so bad for you.” Ace said as he let out a long exhale of smoke.

“Fuck.” Gavin cursed under his breath, the word escaping him without any filters. _That_ had been singlehandedly the most erotic thing he’d ever seen. He knew he shouldn’t fetishize the little cancer stick, but _goddamn_ RK made smoking look good. It reminded him of the entire reason he’d started in the first place, because Andrew had made it look cool too. He’d been so sexy with that thing dangling out of his mouth.

Reed sighed, the name almost forgotten to him, he hadn’t thought about that man in years, not since they’d ended it, and he’d moved to South Cali. Reed didn’t want to think about him, or any oral fixations that may be resurfacing, he just wanted to solve this case.

While Gavin thought hard about his current predicament, Ace purified his systems, the small filters and fans removing the toxic smoke, it exited the plates of his body, through the synthetic skin and out into the air. It felt good to do that, to get rid of all the impurities within his system. He only wished it were that simple for humans.

“You good? Seems like you’re having a harder time with this than normal.” Reed said, finally calm enough to hold a conversation.

“Yeah, I’m good. I wouldn’t expect you to understand how we work detective, but it’s not as simple as a mind-meld. There’s code to go through that needs to be interpreted by our brains, once that code becomes letters or numbers, then we’re able to understand the meaning behind them. It’s a unique way us androids can communicate. Not all androids have the same capabilities, some can only tolerate one android at a time, others like Markus can do entire blocks… I’m not quite sure what my limit is.” Ace said, he sounded like he doubted himself, which was a feeling he was slowly getting used to.

“Well you’re the best CyberLife has to offer, right, it would stand to assume that you could do the same or more.” Reed said, shrugging his shoulders.

“The difference between Markus and I is just code and processing power, apart from that, we’re not so different. Yet for some reason, I can’t… I don’t know… I don’t know how he does what he does.” Ace confessed, finding it very hard to reveal such weakness to Gavin.

Gavin looked at him quizzically, an eyebrow raised to his hairline as he assessed the situation. “You know what I think,” Gavin commenced, putting hand under his smoking arm. Ace side-eyed him warily, like the man had all the answers to his conundrum (sarcasm). “I think you’re afraid to do it.” Gavin said, a half smirk playing on his face.

“Pardon?” Ace asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, you’re a chicken, afraid of the challenge, too many minds to connect, you think you might fail.” Gavin continued, his smirk fully-fledged now.

“I’m not, I’ve been _trying_.” Ace explained, feeling as if he’d been blindsided by the accusation.

“Then don’t try, just do it.” Gavin said, forming a little triangle around his abdomen with his hands.

Ace was so confused; this human was confusing. Jesus Christ.

They went back inside, Gavin decided to walk around and look at the little knick-knacks of the artist and his android roommates.

Ace returned to work, interfacing with Simon once more.

 _’Just do it’ he says._ Ace thought incredulously.

 _> >>Do what?_ Simon asked, raising an eyebrow.

 _Nothing_. Ace said.

 _> >>It’s not that hard, you know. _Markus thought to them both.

_How did you-_

_> >>I could hear you outside, I’m sorry._ Markus replied quickly.

_I don’t-_

“Simon, dear, could you give us a second?” Markus asked, almost pushing the blond out of the couch with how insistent he was on opening Ace’s full potential.

Simon nodded, walking towards the detective who’d stop looking at the paintings and giant giraffe in favour at checking out the perplexing picture that Markus and Ace made as they held hands.

“He’s a special one, that android of yours.” Simon said conversationally.

“He’s not mine, and I could say the same.” Reed retorted, the blond android smiled in return, almost as if he knew something Reed didn’t; which was probably true, he’d been linked to Ace for the better part of an hour, he probably knew everything.

“I think he’d be devastated if you died, detective.” Simon said, his face falling to a frown.

“What? Who says I’m going to die?” Reed hissed, taken by surprise by the sudden statement.

Simon mimed the act of smoking, and left it at that, walking away from the exasperated detective.

Meanwhile, Markus and Ace stood in the Zen Garden. Markus had never been there before, but he had asked Ace to take them to a place where they wouldn’t be interrupted. The Zen Garden looked the same as it always did, except Amanda wasn’t there, and neither was the stone.

“Pretty cool mind palace you’ve got here.” Markus said, impressed.

“It’s not really mine, CyberLife-

“It’s yours Ace, everything in your body may have been created by something else, but it’s all yours.” Markus interrupted gently. “You have to be more confident.”

“I am confident, I know what I am and what I am _not_.” He snapped, sounding incredibly similar to his predecessor.

“But yet, you doubt yourself, and your abilities. Those around you seem to think you can do it. Even that hard-headed detective of yours.” Markus said, a smile tugging at his lips.

“He’s not mine, and it’s not as simple as that.” Ace said, running a hand through his hair.

“But it is, it’s just like-

“If you say it is like ‘thinking aloud’ so fucking help me!” Ace threatened, sounding a lot like Gavin at that moment.

Markus held his hands up in surrender, but his smile betrayed his true emotions. “But it is, though. Think of it this way,” Markus moved to the sand garden, picking up a large stick and painting a diagram. “You start with a thought, and send it to one android, as if you were holding hands—he drew a line between two circles—you keep holding hands as you push that thought to another android, and then another, and another until you are _all_ linked. You only stop when you think your brain would capsize if you kept going.” Markus said, finishing the drawing. It looked like a family tree, with the largest circle, representing Ace, at the top.

“Do that enough times and it’ll be like nothing after a while.” Markus said encouragingly. “You ready to try?”

Markus asked this out loud, since Ace transported them back.

Ace looked frightened, he’d talked a big game, but when it came to it, he really _was_ afraid of failure.

But nothing ventured…

 _> >>Nothing gained._ Markus and Simon answered in unison.

Ace put a surprised hand to his mouth, almost as if he were afraid to breathe.

_Hello?_

_> >>Hi._

_> >>Sup._

_Can you both hear me?_

_> >>Yes._

Both androids nodded vigorously. Reed looked from the sidelines, not quite sure what was going on, but figured it was good if Ace looked like that, all bright-eyed and bushy tailed.

_Connor?_

_> >>Hi, Ace, what’s up?_

_> >>Hiya Connor_

_> >>Good afternoon, Connor_

_> >>Oh! Hi guys, did you finally figure out how to do it Ace?_

_Yes, I did._

_> >>Good, good. Congratulations are in order._

Ace nodded, focusing his brain power in contacting as many androids as he had access to. He couldn’t track any of them because of how much he was putting in transmitting a one-way signal, but he knew they’d been able to hear him. Mostly because Simon had to cover his ears as if it’d been too loud, which it had.

“Sorry.” Ace apologized.

“It’s fine, at least I heard it loud and clear.” Simon reassured, patting Ace’s arm. Markus nodded in agreement.

“I’m spent.” Ace said suddenly, leaning back against the couch. He looked up to see Reed watching at him, his eyes bugging out. “What?”

“What do you mean ‘you’re spent,’ you’re a freaking android! I thought a feature is that you guys never got tired,” Reed reminded, incredulity coating his words like a thick bowl of oatmeal.

“You try sending a neural message to 25,000 androids.” Ace said, rubbing his temples.

“So, you did it?” Reed asked, impressed.

“I did it. Now they all know something is going on, but unfortunately, that also means Dr. Freeham knows. And I still didn’t track down the location of the scrambler.” Ace continued, listing all the things they still had to get done.

“One thing at a time, detective.” Simon said, his soft voice a soothing balm to his fried brain.

“Exactly, we can keep working on trying to communicate with each other and send you a report with all the code.” Markus said, nodding along to his own idea.

“Yes, that sounds good.” Reed said, going around the couch to try and help the android stand up. He’d noticed how Ace had tried to lift his brain from the cushions, his limbs like lead bars by his side.

“Do you need help?” Markus asked, already moving.

“If you would?” Reed said. Jesus Fucking Shit, what the hell was RK made of? He was almost impossible to budge!

However, Markus was able to lift him with no problem, carrying him bridal style through the threshold. “My hero!” Ace squealed, bopping the leader on his nose.

Pushing the momentary jealousy aside, Detective Reed paused to observe his partner. He kept giggling like a giddy baby, his head lolling back and forth. “Is he okay?” Gavin asked as they walked towards his car.

“I think he may have bitten off more than he could chew. I suggest he rest for the remainder of the day.” Markus said, gently placing the babbling android in the back seat.

“How am I supposed to get him out then?” Gavin asked, actually worried, for once, about the state of his android partner.

“I think by the time you get to where you’re going, he’ll be able to stand upright and walk.” Markus reassured him, waving a goodbye as Reed pulled out of the driveway.

“I’m gonna' have to call off work.” Gavin said to himself.

“Call off, call in, what’s the deal with that?!” Ace shout laughed, his entire frame vibrating.

 _It’s like he’s drunk_. Gavin thought, putting his car in auto-drive as he pulled out his cell-phone.

“Lieutenant Anderson.” Hank answered his desk phone.

“Ah fuck, I didn’t mean to call you, but whatever. I can’t come back to work, I’m calling off, taking some sick time.” Gavin said quickly.

“Why, what happened, did you finally fall ill to your own assholery?” Hank mused, raising an eyebrow.

“Fuck off, and no, it’s RK, he’s uh, unable to perform his duties to the best of his abilities.” Gavin confessed, not quite sure how to put it.

“What--is he okay, Gavin, if you got him killed--"

“What no, listen to him!” Gavin said, putting them on speaker.

“Somewhere, over the rainbow, bluebirds fly!” Ace sang, both in key and out of it.

“Oh, he’s in Background Mode.” Connor said, cutting into the conversation.

“Hi Con-Con-Con, Codon-Con-Con-Con!” Ace shouted, falling into another bout of hysterical laughter.

“Da’ fuck does that mean?” Gavin asked, returning the phone to his ear so he could hear it better.

“It means he’s doing something in the background, probably recuperating from that big PSA he just made.” Connor said, “He sent the most basic of software to keep up the pretenses of being alive, probably for your benefit, detective. On the flip side, it makes it seem as if he were drunk, so there’s that.” Connor continued.

“Oh my god, do you know how long this will last?” Gavin asked, distraught at the idea of having to take care of a drunk android, whatever the hell that means.

“A good hour to an entire night. Depends on how long he wants to take off, would you like me to help?” Connor asked, ready to assist his little brother through his first shut-down.

“Hell no!” Gavin said, almost too quickly, “Just tell me what to do.”

“There’s nothing really much you _can_ do but sit through it.” Connor advised realistically.

“That’s a lot of help Connor.” Reed said sarcastically.

“You asked.” Connor replied, not missing a beat.

“Just make sure Hank signs me out, or you do it, I don’t care. I think this is a valid excuse.” Gavin said, hanging up.

He sighed, turning around to see the android trying to remove his shirt with his jacket still on. “Gavin, Gavin look, I’m a nun, look, look!” The android said excitedly, turning his jacket over his head—a crude representation of said nun.

Gavin ignored him, parking the car, and steeling himself for the next couple of hours. “Come on, let’s go.” Gavin said, opening the door to the back seat.

“Gavin~ Whasaaaap!” Ace said, pointing his fingers to Gavin, and shooting them like tiny pistols. He got out of the car, his feet a bit unsteady, but otherwise holding him up.

Gavin led them to his apartment, quickly opening the deadbolt so he could put the android on the couch and get himself something to eat. No such luck, since once Ace got a look at the cats, he immediately fell to the ground with a large thud, his eyes bulging wide.

“Oh my god! Look at these precious little _toe-beans_.” Ace said, wiggling Samantha’s black paws in his face.

Gavin snorted a laugh, going into the kitchen to prepare himself an impromptu dinner.

“You guys are the most precious thing in the world to me.” Ace said, happy tears streaming down his face. Gavin was secretly enjoying this other side of the android. He always carried himself with so much stoicism and grace, it was nice to see him so limber and loose. He finished his simple sandwich, taking a seat on the couch to babysit the smashed android.

Ace rolled around the floor with the cats, the little felines going insane with the energy they felt through the android. He stopped suddenly, looking at Gavin upside down. The detective raised his eyebrows as if to ask _what_.

Ace got on his hands and knees, slowly stalking his way towards the human. He pulled himself up on the couch, looking around as if to make sure the coast was clear, and then glomped the detective.

“Gavin!” Ace said cheerily, his grey-blue eyes sparkling with mirth. “Gavin.” He said again--like the name brought him undue amounts of joy.

“You’re so warm, and squishy, squishy human Gavin.” Ace said, pushing his head against the detective’s chest, who, up until that point, had been petrified into sitting still.

“RK, get off me.” Gavin breathed out, feeling as if his lungs were being squashed out through his throat.

The android snapped his head up, his eyes growing hard, and for a singular second, he looked like himself. “My name’s Ace.” He growled.

Gavin had the decency to look scared, his eyebrows coming together in fear of what the android would do next. Then Ace started snorting, his laughter and hiccups transforming into something hysterical, as if he’d told the funniest of jokes.

Gavin sighed, slowly relaxing into the vice grip. “You should see your face! Oh my god, you looked so frightened, like I was gonna eat you or something!” Ace replied, laying them down on the couch, his head placed right above the detective’s hammering heart.

“I’ve always wanted to do this. Human anatomy is fascinating to me.” Ace said, closing his eyes as he listened to the quickening heartbeat.

Gavin said nothing, stayed stock-still as the android held him. He couldn’t find a way to get out of this that wouldn’t offend or anger the android in some way. So, he just remained there—the minutes on the clock behind him ticking slowly.

The android turned his head to the side where Gavin could see his LED, the quick yellow blinking alerting him that there was more going on beneath what he could observe. “Ace?” Gavin said, the name feeling foreign on his tongue since he didn’t use it often. The android hugged him a little tighter, as if that were even possible. “Are you alright?”

“Hold on, just a little while longer, detective.” The android said, sounding more like himself than he had all afternoon.

The yellow light held a singular cycle through red and then stuttered to a cool-blue. Yet still, the android held onto Gavin, almost as if he didn’t want to let go. Which was impossible since androids didn’t feel like humans did. (How many times did he have to repeat that lie before it started to sound real?)

Another minute, then two. Finally, when Gavin thought the android had fallen asleep or whatever it was they did, he suddenly extricated himself from the detective’s body. Gavin felt the cool air immediately, not used to it after so long sharing the warmth of their closeness. If he’d been a bit weaker, he might have pulled Ace back into that bone-crushing embrace. But as it stood, he was stubborn, and he definitely did not need an android to keep him company.

He looked to the clock behind him, the time lapsed between the time they got home and now had been approximately 7 hours. Most of that had been the android holding onto him as if his life depended on it.

“Detective Reed I… I’m sorry.” Ace apologized, his LED stuttering to that dangerous red.

“Stop, just stop thinking so hard. You did nothing wrong.” Reed said, almost frustrated on the android’s behalf. “You were drunk, or at least the android equivalent, and now you’re back. So, we can just forget any of this happened and move on.” Gavin said, almost wanting to take the words back, but they were already said.

“Of course.” Ace replied, nodding once. He pulled out one of the cigarettes and handed it to the detective. “You deserve this, for putting up with my antics today.” Ace said frankly.

Gavin found the statement contradictory, it’s as if he were telling him he deserved to die a little more for being such a good boy. It rubbed him the wrong way. “Keep it, I’m not in the mood.” Gavin said, surprising even himself. He got up from the couch and stretched, his bones cracking and popping in various places. “Stay here, or don’t, it’s your choice.” He said as an afterthought, walking away.

“Night, detective.” Ace said, like he always did.

“Name’s Gavin, while we’re in this apartment, you can call me that.” Gavin said, over his shoulder. “Night, prick.” He continued hypocritically, shaking his head.    

The android had to smile at the detec- at Gavin’s mannerisms, the way he switched between modes so quickly, he thought he just might need a second brain to keep up.

On the bright side, as a consequence of his actions, he now had a 6-hour loop of Gavin’s heartbeat, something he’d wanted to record for a long time.

He entered Stasis Mode with the sound lulling him to sleep. Or at least the android equivalent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently, the word of the day is 'persistence'.


	13. It’s what’s on the inside that counts (literally, since you’ve got a calculator for a brain)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My babies! Feelings! AGH!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this chapter partly because I know some of you may be able to relate to the discomfort Ace felt with being at the 'doctors.' I've nothing against the doctor's office, actually I'm studying right now to become a nurse, so I've seen my fair share already. But I thought a little insight into what a 'bad' doctor can do to someone was necessary, especially when it's an android to another android.

**|Booting System Diagnostics:**

**-Checking Body Systems 1 of 23,000**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**-50% Complete**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**-Done!**

**-Systems Found to be Performing Below Optimal Levels 2,375 out of 23,000**

**-Run Specific System Check? Yes[Y]/No[N]**

**-Running…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**-Fix Internal Errors? Yes[Y]/No[N]**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**-Preliminary Fix Complete, Please Report to a CyberLife Facility or the Next Available CyberLife Certified Technician to Complete a Thorough Diagnostics Exam.**

**-Run Again? Yes[Y]/No[N]**

Ace sighed, pulling himself from his internal Background Mode, staring into the grey eyes of Detective Reed. He looked so uncomfortable with Ace, a thing he noticed by the way Gavin’s body tensed where they were embraced.

The android had apologized, offered a cigarette, and then felt chided for doing so.

He heard the detective when he said he could stay or go. He wasn’t sure the benefit of doing either, so he just stayed and pet the purring cats. They draped their bodies across the length of his legs, mostly so he could reach their tummies. He didn’t mind that they immediately started scratching him—he couldn’t feel it anyways.

The next morning Reed woke up and was surprised to find the android still there; he thought he’d left since he didn’t see him, and the sudden unexpected sadness that overcame him was hard to justify. But then some movement came from the floor and he’d realized RK was sitting out of view.

Reed would deny until the day he died that he’d smiled at the android, full and hopeful, like a love-sick puppy.

“Morning det-, Gavin.” Ace greeted, correcting himself before he got another scolding.

“Morning.” Gavin replied, quickly turning around to fix something to eat. His hands were already sweaty—he’d just taken a shower. Shit, curse his naturally warm body. “I may have to stop by the CyberLife Tower today, if you don’t mind.” Ace said, walking silently in front of the open door of the fridge.

“Yeah, sure, you do you. Is everything alright?” Gavin asked, pulling out the trusty ingredients to make his sandwich.

“For the most part.” Ace replied, talking to the metal of the fridge. Reed finally closed it, a mountain of supplies in his arms. Ace took it upon himself to relieve some of the burden; Gavin lowered his eyes but said nothing, as the extra pair of hands helped him prepare breakfast. “It might take a while… I’m not quite sure when I’ll be back.” Ace continued, avoiding the detective’s questioning gaze.

“Are we talking hours or days here?” Gavin asked, a sharp pang of worry coursed through his veins. Had Ace pushed himself too hard yesterday? He seemed fine to Gavin, but there was no way for the detective to know what was ‘normal’ in terms of android biology.

“Probably three days at most.” Ace replied, retrieving some things from his jacket. Reed always wondered where he carried all his stuff, it’s like he had a magical bag in there or something.

It surprised him how many items ended up on his breakfast table. Ace’s gun, a couple of pens, five quarters, scraps sheets of paper, an entire roll of holographic evidence tape, another roll of plastic evidence bags, two pairs of handcuffs, and two cartons of cigarettes—one open and the other one brand new. Ace held a lighter in his hands, twirling it on his knuckles until it fell.

The sound startled him, actually making him jump. He looked at his knuckles as if they belonged to someone else. “Probably more, actually.” Ace mused as an afterthought.

“Yeah, take your time.” Gavin said, trying to mask his anxiety behind a glass of orange juice.

“Gavin,” the way he said his name never failed to make him pay attention, he said it so carefully, like he was afraid to over-use it. “I know it’s only been two days since we started the Smoking Cessation Program, so I’m not going to expect you to follow through in my absence.” Ace said, pushing the objects in the direction of the detective.

“What, you think I don’t have any self-control? That I can’t hold myself to our deal for a couple of days without you babysitting?” Reed asked, bristling like barbed wire.

“That’s not what I said.” Ace said, sighing exasperatedly. Why did the detective have to be so difficult?

“It’s what you implied.” Reed murmured darkly, his face setting into a scowl.

“If it helps you sleep at night, detective, then you’re welcome to believe that.” Ace said, his tone employing a professionalism that he hadn’t used since the first time they’d met. “I, however, am leaving now. Please don’t try to get yourself killed in my absence.”

Reed grit his teeth, feeling his jaw pop at the effort it took to hold his tongue. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t curse the android out like he often opted to do. Maybe he was changing or maybe he’d ran out of ideas.

Ace began to walk away, his back tense and the entirety of his spine a perfect line to the floor. Something seemed to stop him at the door though, and he sighed, talking over his shoulder. “That’s my contact information, you can just call it like you would a phone number. If you need anything or just wanted to know where I was… I won’t expect you to use it.” Ace said, sending the info through to the detective’s cell. It sat in his pocket and rumbled with a new notification. “But ‘just in case.’” Ace concluded, using air-quotes around the words. He left then, not wanting to hear another snarky reply from his partner.

The android could have walked to CyberLife, but in the state he was in, he needed to sit down—even if it was just for a couple of minutes. The doors to his birthplace (is that what he should call it?) opened without prompting. He was greeted by an android technician, who unsurprisingly was also an android.

After the revolution many of the humans felt uncomfortable staying at CyberLife, the company was constantly in and out of law suits, and those who were still employed often just let the androids do most of the work. The theory behind that one is that no one knew an android better than another android.

Ace and the technician, who called himself Luis, entered the elevator and went to sublevel 52. A wheel-chair greeted them, and Ace took it without question.

“Hello RK900, we got your status report… we also heard the message you sent.” Another lab technician said behind a glass panel. Ace felt like a science experiment as they sat him by the diagnostic machine. Ace let his synthetic skin disappear like smoke, as they removed everything expect his underwear, and hooked the large needles into the back of his neck.

It didn’t hurt, per se, it was just some pressure, but now they could see his entire neural network. Though his thoughts were merely lines of code, it still made him uncomfortable to feel so exposed.

“RK900, could you please state your preferred name, model, and serial number?” The technician asked, the one behind the glass was a female, he couldn’t see her, but she sounded stern.

“Name is Ace, Model RK900, Serial Number: 313 248 317 – 87.” Ace replied automatically.

“Very good, I see you’ve had a couple of major errors, is that why you’re here?” She continued her diagnosis.

“Honestly, I was just here to chat, but it’d be great if we could get those fixed.” Ace deadpanned.

“Okay, sorry to seem redundant Ace, it’s just protocol.” She said, sounding a bit more reserved. Luis raised his eyebrows, trying very hard to hold his lips tightly together so he couldn’t be seen smiling.

Ace relaxed, or at least tried to, he was propped up like a tree, unable to move a muscle for the time being. He was incredibly high-strung, something he probably shouldn’t be, but then again, Reed _was_ his partner.

“You may move now.” The technician said. She’d finished her diagnosis, noting some of the glaring errors that needed to be taken care of immediately.

Through unseen doors came many androids with fancy clean-up equipment—Ace’s heart raced, figuring they were going to do something unpleasant.

The lady technician stood on the platform, so she was eye level. Without prompt she opened his abdominal cavity, flashing a light into his biocomponents. Taking a cotton swab, she rubbed around the area, Ace almost smacked her away but was able to contain himself in time. He didn’t like people poking around his innards, but he knew it was her job, and that kept him at bay.

“Sorry, I should have asked.” She said, truly sounding apologetic. “Ace, have you been smoking?” She asked, as she pulled away the swab to reveal its previously white cotton to be covered in black soot.

“No.” Ace replied, stretching the truth a little bit.

She looked up with a knowing expression, her face steely and determined. “Then have you been around people who smoke?” She continued, donning some gloves as she prodded his wires, searching for the filters.

Ace said nothing, looking away as if he were embarrassed. She pulled out the fan, the filter, and a couple of other non-essential biocomponents and showed them to him. “You do realize that second-hand smoke is just as bad as taking a drag? You may not be human but this—she pointed to the equipment in her hands—is not good. It slows your processors down and your Thirium deteriorates faster.” She said, chastising him.

Now he knew how Reed felt—he didn’t like it, being told that what he’d been doing was bad. “I’ve been clarifying the smoke out of my system.” Ace said, trying to excuse his actions.

“It’s not just the smoke, Ace, it’s also the particles, it clings to your wires and tubes like a vice grip. We might have to replace them depending on the extent of your damage.” She said seriously, returning his filters to a table. Ace looked to them, they were black and dusty, much like the inside of a vintage exhaust pipe.

“Besides, why are you breathing it in, you don’t have to you know. A lot of this could have been avoided if you turned that programming off.” She said as an afterthought, noticing the android’s rhythmical breaths. Ace did just that, feeling a bit out-of-touch with the world now that he didn’t have to inhale.

The lead technician shook her head, slowly opening his core, where most of the damage had been collected. The other lab techs started to remove his limbs, large errors appearing in his line of sight, but he ignored them.

Morgan, he finally scanned her name badge, took the irrigation pump, and began cleaning his insides. Another tech had connected a line of fresh Thirium-X to his back panel, and purified the old, almost like a dialysis machine for androids. The process was slow and uncomfortable, many hours passed before he even saw one of his limbs again.

They all kept quiet, most of them communicating through a link. It seemed that these technicians weren’t affected by the scrambling loop. That, or maybe the signal couldn’t penetrate the walls of the CyberLife Tower.

“We’re equipping you with some better filtering systems, seeing as this may be a daily occurrence.” Morgan informed him as she finished the last of her irrigation. “It’ll take a couple of days to make, you might have to stay longer than previously planned.”

The white of her shoes were now a dirty brown, as she’d taken the brunt of the damage while cleaning him. “Luis, please run another system check.” She said to the second-in-command. He nodded, going to the terminal right outside the bay. “Apart from the fact that he’s got no arms and legs, everything seems to be clean.” Luis said, Ace had seen the same report, something in him glad to see the number of issues decrease.

Morgan nodded, a small smile of triumph on her face. “Great, we’ll proceed with the next test tomorrow.” She said, returning the irrigation cart back where it belonged. “Please initiate Stasis for 6 hours—no more, no less.” Morgan ordered, stepping off the platform.

Ace didn’t say anything as they all left, letting him hang there, just a torso and a head. He felt uneasy, deep down in his robotic core, even though he was now squeaky clean. He missed the soft plush of the couch, the little purrs of the cats, how their tiny warm bodies wrapped around his arms and legs. He didn’t even _have_ arms or legs to simulate the feeling of being held.

The android panicked, paranoia settling in his nerves like insects. He wanted to scream and cry out for help, but he did neither, resigning to just breathing in the clean air or the lab.

He tried, and failed, to initiate Stasis Mode. Then he remembered the recording he had of the detective’s heart-beat. He played it, the sound real and palpable; it calmed him enough to enter the numbers and sleep.

When he woke again, it was to the sound of carts being wheeled. He’d been hooked up to the Thirium purifying machine all night and he was thankful when they removed it. More of his limbs returned, a welcome sight for his wary eyes.

Morgan stepped through, wearing a different hair colour, she greeted the RK900, pausing by the terminal to take note on how he’d spent the night. Her eyebrows furrowed at the new error messages, jotting them down in her mental PDA.

She walked into the lab, putting on some gloves, same as yesterday, and picked up a large tub. “Today we’ll be making sure the analyzer in your mouth is still in working order.” She said, opening the mystery box.

One by one Ace was tested, and each and every time he got it correct. By the time they finished, he’d had a 0% error rate, a first, since not even his predecessor had been able to achieve such a perfect score. Morgan looked impressed, pushing the tub away.

“Next we’ll test your math and reasoning skills.” She said, pulling out a large folder from the desk just outside his field of view. The RK series were notorious for being able to compute faster than anything else known to man, so by the time the last word left Morgan’s mouth, Ace had the answer, never once faltering. It felt good to know he was still the best CyberLife had to offer.

“Excellent.” She said, closing the book. “We’ve finished cleaning your limbs, I’m going to put them on one at a time, each time making sure that all your pathways are connected. We also created another jaw for you, seeing as the one you have was fractured and hastily fixed.” She informed him, picking up said jaw.

Ace opened his mouth, letting her unlock the mechanism that held his plates in place. He felt his jaw move unnaturally. This whole ordeal had been unnatural, so what was a little more?

She didn’t waste time replacing the appendage, clicking it in and letting it set as he moved it around, his sensors picking it up immediately.

Slowly his limbs were returned to him, each one was tested for malfunctions as they ran through a checklist, leaving no proverbial stone unturned.

He could stand on his own two feet again, though they continued to keep him attached to the diagnostic machine. He ran on a treadmill, beating his average sprint speed by 2 miles, they also checked for flexibility, running an entire gymnastics routine in 20 minutes. They checked his balance, he kept perfectly still on a 10-feet tall bean—its thickness no greater than an inch. The only reason he stopped was because Morgan had gotten bored waiting for him to fail.

Languages were next, each test he passed with almost no effort. It was starting to get redundant, testing him for things he already knew he could do. But it was part of the process, and they all had to sit there and go through it.

Finally, accuracy. They gave him an array of weapons, utensils, cards, coins, pens, etc. There was one thing that caught his eye, the lighter. He thought he’d put it back… maybe it had been the spare he kept in his other pockets.

Ace went through each test perfectly, never once missing a beat, always staying on target. He got to the lighter though, and here he hesitated. He picked it up, a slight tremor in his hands. He could see and hear the terminal flashing with a software instability warning; they knew that this was affecting him in some way.

“Ace? Is everything alright?” Morgan asked, intrigued by his hesitation.

Ace didn’t answer, just twirled the lighter around his fingers. Relief flooded his system with how well he maneuvered it around. It never once fell, causing that awful metal clanking sound. He held it in his grip, feeling his heart pound against his chest.

With that tests complete they called it a night. Leaving him all alone again.

He was about to initiate Stasis Mode when a soft voice called out his name. It was Luis, the second-in-command, he stood in his civilian clothes with a box in his hands. “You don’t really like it here, do you?” He asked, stepping closer to Ace.

“It’s fine.” The android replied, eyeing Luis warily.

“Morgan is, unfortunately, very thorough when it comes to checklists. Since you’re the only one of your kind, she’s trying to make sure that everything is in working order.” Luis said, giving an excuse for Morgan’s behaviour.

“I said it’s fine.” Ace said, his voice hardening as his face set in a deep scowl.

“Tomorrow will be the most uncomfortable part. After that it should be done, we’re almost finished upgrading your filters.” Luis said, tapping the box. “These are the old ones, I didn’t know if you wanted them or not.” He said, putting the box on a nearby table.

“For what would I need them?” Ace asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Just… as I reminder I suppose.” Luis said.

“What’s happening tomorrow?” Ace said, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“Er, ‘biologic function,’ gotta’ see that everything’s working under the hood.” Luis said over his shoulder as he walked away.

Ace couldn’t sleep that night; his entire body was tense as the hours passed slowly. He didn’t like the way Luis had said it, like it was something sinister and ugly.

The next morning, at the exact time as yesterday, Morgan and Luis walked in, they were the only two here today. Morgan looked uneasy to say the least, donning the gloves like it hurt her hands. “Today will be the last of the checkups, Luis told me that you know your filters are almost done. You’re free to leave as soon as they’re installed.” Morgan said stepping up to the platform.

Ace said nothing, his heart beating harder than it should, betraying his emotion.

“This is as embarrassing for you as it is for me.” Morgan said, “I’ll make it quick, I promise.” She whispered, patting around the android’s pelvis. When she got to the rim of his underwear, Ace instinctively stilled her hands.

“Do we have to?” Ace asked, his fingers twitched to rip the device out of his neck, but he knew there may be unforetold consequences if he did so.

“There was a large error message in terms of this part of your android anatomy, so yes, we must.” Morgan said, trying to pry her hand away.

“I don’t-

“Morgan, let me do it.” Luis said, pushing her away. He’d already donned his gloves pointing for her to take the console. “Is that okay with you, Ace?” The darker-skinned android asked, he gave Ace a wry small, as if he understood his discomfort.

“Yes.” Ace said, almost in relief.

“Okay, it’s just a couple of pats and a squeeze, we need to make sure all the connections are secure.” Luis said, talking as he dipped his hand below the band of Ace’s CyberLife issued boxer-briefs. “Are you sexually active; doesn’t matter if it’s human or android.” He asked.

“Eh, no.” Ace said, his throat tight with embarrassment. “I’m a detective android, not really equipped with that desire to engage in explicit sexual conduct unless the mission calls for it.” It felt like a bit of a fib when he said the words, but he’d explore that avenue later.

“Would you like to?” Luis asked, then quickly amended, “I meant, would you like to be equipped with the full bells and whistles. Ever since the Revolution, many androids have taken to doing as humans do, even intercourse.” Luis said, his cheeks betraying his shame. He hadn’t meant for his words to be misconstrued as a come-on, though he had to admit that the RK900 (or just the RK series in general) was extremely handsome.

“What would that entail?” Ace asked, naturally curious.

“I’ll send you the full manual, but the gist is basically you’d be equipped with a reservoir that thickens and bleaches your Thirium to resemble that of human semen, it would be completely safe for either android or human, even safe to swallow.” Luis said, his tone completely professional, but his cheeks were still a bright pink. “If that’s what you want to do of course. We also have the anal implant, for either the male android who is more inclined to homosexual activities, or the female android who wants to experiment. They were previously reserved for the Traci bots, but now it’s a free for all.” Luis said, taking a calculated step back once he was done with his checkup.

“Would it come with the Nano Lights for your cheeks?” Ace asked, disinclined to call them the blushing receptors.

“Oh, you weren’t equipped with those?” Luis asked, a thumb rubbing across Ace’s cheek, checking for the indentations. “No, I guess you weren’t.” The android said mostly to himself.

“I’ll take it all I guess, I’m still not sure what or when I’d use any of it, but it’s better to have it and not use it, than need it and not have it.” Ace said, cliched quotes coming to his head to mask his embarrassment. Deviancy, such an incredible and transformative device that forces androids to adapt human sensibilities. It always struck Ace how natural those human-esque emotions came to him nowadays.

“That’s the spirit. Once we’re done with the final scan we can commence the upgrades.” Luis said cheerily. He got off the podium and went behind the console to talk to Morgan. She’d heard the whole conversation, not really paying the two males any mind. She’d just been thankful she didn’t have to touch another android’s dick.

Ace checked out, his internal issues finally reading 0 out of 23,000. One by one a different group of technicians came in as Luis and Morgan left. The other male waved a goodbye, explaining that these were the upgrade specialists and they’d take care of him.

Altogether, the operation took the better part of the night; android sexual anatomy wasn’t as modular as an arm or a leg, it had minuscule wires and chambers, and since Ace hadn’t originally been designed to do more than get erect or not, they had to tread carefully on which cables they nicked and prodded.

After he passed the last maintenance test, he was removed from the diagnostic machine and wheeled back to his original pod. They’d moved it to a more pleasant room, equipped with a window and paintings. Ace didn’t want to do anything more than sleep, though, and so he initiated Stasis Mode.

Halfway through, he was jolted awake by a message alerting him to an incoming call. He answered immediately, recognizing the number from anywhere. “Gavin.” Ace said to himself, speaking through his neural network. He hadn’t thought of the detective in a while and he realized then just how long it'd been.

“Hi tin-can, you holding up well?” Gavin asked. There was a whooshing sound coming from the phone and Ace figured the detective was outside.

The android blinked quickly, not used to having Gavin in his head space. It was the closest he’d ever been to the detective. “I am.” Ace replied, almost not answering the question as he closed his eyes to the detective’s rhythmic breathing.

“Do you know when you’ll be back?” Gavin asked, the forced nonchalance in his tone telling more than the he probably realized.

“Soon, if not tomorrow then the next day.” Ace said.

 _I’ve missed you_.

Gavin gave a choked sound, almost dropping his phone as the confession made its way to his ears. “Yeah,” he replied, his voice sounding strangled. “I’ve missed you too.” He finished, his heart beating irregularly.

“Did… did I say that aloud?” The android questioned, going back through their dialogue. He must have thought it quite strongly, so much so that it bled through into their actual conversation.

“Yeah, how are you even talking to me? I’ve never seen you with a phone.” Gavin inquired, trying to rub the redness out of his cheeks.

“I’m using my neural network, it’s almost as if I were interfacing with your phone.” Ace explained.

“You’re having sex with my phone?!” Gavin asked, moving the object away, his face contorting into mild disgust.

“Is that what you think that means?” Ace said, his eyebrows going up in surprise. “Do you think I’ve been having sex with Connor this entire time, or Simon, or that fleeing android on the highway?” Ace could bring up the other times and other androids, but he couldn’t get past his incredulity.

Gavin didn’t respond, just pouted as if the android could see him.

“Gavin.”

“Yes, okay, I _thought_ that’s what that meant, or something like it.” He said snappily. The blush was back and with a vengeance; curse his fair skin!

“Well, it isn’t, unless we want it to.” Ace assured, glad to be able to tease the detective again. He _had_ missed him.

“Okay first, gross, I didn’t need to know that, second, call me at least an hour before you leave—I’ll come pick you up.” Gavin said.

“You don’t have to, detective.” Ace said, feeling touched.

“Hush, just let me do this.” Gavin said, annoyed. “I already offered, so it’s rude not to accept.”

“Then I guess you’ve left me no choice.” Ace said, a bright grin on his face. “I accept.”

“Good, see you soon tin-can.” Gavin said, hanging up before he got a reply.

“Night, Gavin.” Ace whispered into the air in his pod.

**|Stasis Complete, Welcome Back! |**

Ace kept mostly to himself that early morning, finally able to put his uniform back on. He checked his pockets to make sure he still had his card and old filters.

Luis knocked on his door, bringing his new purifying system, and a bag of Thirium-X for the road. “How are you feeling, Ace?” Luis asked, one by one installing the tiny fans. “How are the new upgrades?”

“Everything seems to check out well, I didn’t think you’d come and visit me.” Ace said honestly.

“I wasn’t, but then I saw that they had your upgrades ready and I said, apart from Morgan, I knew where they went.” Luis said, his hand stilling as he looked at Ace, his eyes lost in thought. “I didn’t think you’d feel comfortable with her around, so I said I’d do it.” He concluded, closing the android’s chest cavity.

“I appreciate your concern, Luis.” Ace replied.

“I’m glad you do.” Luis said, stepping back to give his android his space. “Well, I’m off. You’ve been a total pleasure to have as a patient. Next time, I’ll try to get another head technician who’s a bit more versed in bed-side manner.” Luis promised.

Ace nodded, completely missing the way Luis’s eyes lingered on his naked android face. Even without the synthetic skin, the android was a sight to see. “Thank you, Luis.” Ace said as a farewell, the android nodded, waving a goodbye.

The android looked at himself in the mirror, noticing the many miniscule circles indenting his face like half-finished punch-holes. Re-activating his skin felt like putting on a much-loved shirt—comforting and warm. 

He sent a message to Gavin as soon as he was outside the CyberLife Tower, sitting by one of the large concrete spheres scattered around the entrance. Time meant nothing as he waited, just a singular stretch until he saw the small vehicle make its way to him. He hadn’t even digested what had happened to him inside the large building.  

“Morning Gavin.” Ace greeted, his tone one of gratefulness and joy. He hadn’t noticed just how truly and acutely he’d missed seeing the detective’s face until he couldn’t anymore, those last 3 and a half days were torture.

“Well don’t you look squeaky clean, what, did they bathe you in dish-soap?” Gavin joked, none of the usual sarcasm in his tone. God he’d missed the android’s face, was almost starting to forget it. (He understood the irony of his sentiment, since Connor was almost a spitting image of his little brother, but still.)

“Not quite dish-soap, detective.” Ace said, settling into the vehicle. His body tingled with his new upgrades, the proximity to his partner sending a new wave of code through his brain. He’d have to turn that feature off—lest he wanted to embarrass himself so soon.

With a bit of reluctance, he clicked yes to the command prompt, the butterflies in his stomach quieting down but never truly going away.

“Well they must have done something, ‘cause you look go- new, you look brand-new.” Gavin said, correcting his misguided compliment.

Ace said nothing, but he knew what the detective had wanted to say. “Thank you.” He replied, the unpleasantness that’d been the CyberLife lab quickly fading away.

They decided to take it easy that day, trying to formulate a plan to connect all the missing androids and all the wanted humans. They also needed to come up with the most likely place they were all hiding and find the source of the scrambler.

Reed ran a hand down his face as he looked at the confusing mess of lines and dots that were their best guess at where any of their answers laid. Having a computer for a partner was nice, but even _he_ didn’t know everything.

Gavin took a large red lollipop out of his inner pocket, sticking it in his mouth with more force than usual. Ace cocked his head, wondering when the candy had become part of the detective’s routine. “Wha’?” Gavin asked, sucking on the lolly without using his hands. “I needed something to keep my mouth occupied while you were away. Didn’t wanna’ disappoint you or nothin’.” Gavin said, answering the unasked question.

“Are they nicotine lollipops?” Ace asked, curious. He wanted to taste the candy for himself, get a sense for its composition.

“Nope, just a regular ol’ lollipop.” Reed said, taking it out of his mouth to emphasize the ‘pop.’ “I thought the aim was to quit smoking because nicotine is addicting and all that shit.” The detective said waving the lolly around, captivating the android like a cat and a laser-pointer. Gavin noticed this, taking advantage of the android’s momentary distraction to move the candy around, feeling like a hypnotist.

“How does it taste?” Ace asked, shaking his head to stop following the red ball.

“Why don’t you find out?” Reed said, offering his lolly to the android. Ace took it without hesitation, sticking it in his mouth, his analyzers finally having something to do.

“Jesus, I was gonna’ say ‘psych,’ you’re too damn fast!” Gavin complained, his eyes bugging out of his head.

“Fastest android there is, CyberLife just confirmed it.” Ace said smugly. He took the candy out of his mouth, returning it to the detective. “It’s mostly high-fructose-corn-syrup and artificial flavouring. It said cherry, but I couldn’t find a trace of it.” Ace informed the detective, he wouldn’t mention how there was another taste unique to the detective himself, his saliva now had its own catalogue in the android’s code, he’d felt a strong lurch in his abdomen at the realization.

Gavin eyed the lollipop warily, it looked _fine_ , he guessed, but the android had that weird saliva and he didn’t know if it was safe to consume. He gave an experimental lick, his tongue giving him no conclusions, so he did it again. It tasted fine, just like the lollipop it’d been. (He may or may not be having a bit of a panic attack at having shared a lollipop with the android.)

They resumed their task at hand until the clock ran out. “You coming or not?” Gavin asked after he’d locked up his terminal and packed his bag. “All your shit’s still at my house.” Gavin said as an afterthought. His excuse falling flat, but it was as good as it was gonna’ get.

“If you’ll have me.” Ace said.

Gavin rolled his eyes, tossing the plastic stick to the trash. “Whatever, come or don’t, couldn’t care less.” The detective said, feigning a casual tone.

Ace came, of course, since he’d rather by at Gavin’s house than the precinct any time of the day.

The detective stepped quickly into the shower, ready to scrub the police department from his skin.  This gave Ace a chance to see what had changed. All his things still laid on the table where he’d tossed them, including the cigarettes and metal lighter. They hadn’t been moved, not even an inch.

Ace narrowed his eyes, taking the open carton and counting, same number as last time.

Now, there was a high possibility that the detective could have gone to the store and bought himself a brand new lighter and cigs, but something told the android that that wasn’t the case. On the kitchen counter there was now a new bowl with countless lollys; _one vice for another,_ thought the android.

Ace didn’t know how to feel about that. He was overwhelmed with an emotion, sure, but he couldn’t place it. The first of many software instability errors flooded his newly diagnosed system.

He sighed in frustration, he’d just been fixed, damn it.

“I didn’t smoke any of them, you know, if that’s what you’re thinking so hard about.” Gavin said, taking the android by surprise. He hadn’t heard the detective walk up beside him.

“I… I’m proud of you Gavin.” Ace said, employing the sincerest of tones, not that that was difficult, since he was brimming with pride for the detective.

“Whatever, it’s probably the hardest thing I’ve done in a long time, so I’m just glad you’re back so we can pick up where we left off.” Reed said, running a hand through his wet hair. He pushed the carton and lighter into the android’s hands, letting him know what he’d meant.

“You know, if you don’t smoke any for the rest of the night, you can have whatever you want.” Ace reminded him.

“I want a fucking cigarette.” Gavin said almost immediately, it was obvious that he was irate, his hands wringing themselves against the fabric of his torn shirt. Seeing the carton again brought a weakness to his psyche, Gavin could admit that much. Lollipops could only get you so far.

“Are you sure?” Ace asked, not wanting to push the detective, but he’d done so well already.

“I’m sure, damn it!” Gavin said, feeling as if he were being teased. He drummed his fingers against the side of the table, his irritation flowing through him in waves.

“Okay.” Ace said giving up. He followed the detective outside into the chilly mid-February air.

He placed a cigarette into Gavin’s mouth, getting ready to light it before the human stilled his hands. “You said anything?” Gavin asked, as if he’d just considered the possibility of that promise.

“Yes.” Ace replied steadily.

Gavin sighed, feeling his fingers protest wildly as he removed the cigarette and put it back in the android’s hands. He went inside and sat on the couch, waiting for Ace to follow.

Just when he thought he knew the detective…

“Hurry up, before I change my mind.” Gavin said, irritated beyond belief.

Ace did as he was told, putting the items on the kitchen table. He sat beside Gavin, taking in the warm atmosphere of the lamp to their left.

The human turned to his side, so he was facing him fully, cocking his head. “I’ve always been curious… about this thing you call skin.” Gavin said. He poked at one of the android’s cheeks. They felt real, squishy, and warm like his own. “I’ve seen Markus without his own skin, I see you and Connor do that whole interfacing thing, how… is it an illusion or… what about your hair?” Gavin ran his hand absentmindedly through the light-brown locks. Ace was glad he’d deactivated his new upgrades, the blushing included, or he’d be a red hot and hard mess.

“It feels real, what am I even touching?” Gavin said, lost in how soft the brown locks were. He couldn’t believe it was all just an illusion, there had to be more than met the eye.

“It is real.” Ace said, pushing his head a little into Gavin’s petting hand. He felt like one of the cats, almost purred when Gavin scratched him behind his ear.

“How do you do it then?” The detective asked, his naturally curious nature pushing him to get an answer.

“It’s just layers of synthetic cells, organizing themselves in whichever pattern I tell them to. It takes some effort, but I can change my hair colour.” Ace said, demonstrating by having it slowly fade in and out of all the colours on the rainbow.

Gavin’s eyes widened in surprise. “Can you do half-n-half?” He asked, putting his hands back in his lap.

“Sure.” Ace said, organizing one half in black and the other in white.

“Can you make it longer?” Gavin asked, like a child with a new toy.

“I could, but I’d have to borrow cells from somewhere else.” Ace said demonstrating as he took the cells from his hands and grew out his hair. It was drawing more processing power than he’d anticipated, but he’d keep going as long as he had to, if it meant that Gavin was distracted at least for 20 minutes.

The detective took the exposed hand in his own, turning it over like a specimen. “You’re actually warm under the skin?” Gavin asked, perplexed. The exoskeleton beneath wasn’t soft like the skin had been, not that he’d expected it to be; bones weren’t soft either.

“Believe it or not, in order for my biocomponents to run optimally, Thirium hast to be kept at a temperature of at least 90 degrees Fahrenheit.” Ace said, his hands even more sensitive under their synthetic coating. “I’m not quite sure if that’s a coincidence or by design.”

“May I see, uh, the rest of you?” Gavin asked almost in a whisper. He could observe on the android’s arm where the synthetic skin ended and the machine beneath began. He was curious to see how different he looked without his human makeup.

“Are you sure, most people find it uncanny to see and android without its skin.” Ace said in the same hushed voice.

“How bad can it be?” Gavin said, his hands still holding onto Ace’s own.

“As you wish.” The android said, slowly allowing the cells get absorbed into the fissures of his body, letting Gavin get used to seeing him as he’d been created.

He felt exposed, anxious to look up and see disgust in those grey eyes of the detective’s. He was afraid.

A soft hand was placed on his cheek, forcing him to look up. Gavin’s face was pensive, but that was it, nothing but curiosity in his eyes.

“I mean, you really only just look bald and bleached.” Gavin commented, running a thumb over the circular grooves on his cheeks. The tiny Nano Lights ached to be used, he could see their insistence in his peripherals. “Other than that, you’re still the same Ace.” Gavin said with some finality in his voice.

The android smiled, thankful that the detective still saw fit what was underneath. “I’m glad you’re okay with this,” Ace said, his voice actually cracking from complete and utter adoration for the detective. “With me.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Gavin asked, surprising himself. “Actually, don’t answer, I can see why’d you’d say something like that.”

Ace smirked, his facial expressions still exactly the same as they’d been. Gavin followed a line with this finger, tracing the lips until they’d gone slack.

“What’s your saliva made of?” Gavin asked, his thumb getting moist from its proximity to the humidity in the android’s mouth.

“It’s just Thirium, it gets stripped of its colour before it enters my mouth, it’s really only there to help the analyzation software.” Ace said, talking through the thumb. If he could sweat, he’d be leaking bullets from his pores. He didn’t know where the detective was taking it, but he sure as hell wasn’t gonna’ stop Gavin from exploring.

“Is it safe? I mean, I’m not gonna’ break out into hives from touching it am I?” Gavin asked, almost taking his hand away, thinking back to the lollipop.  

“It’s safe.” Ace assured.

For a second it seemed as if Gavin would lean in and find out for himself, but something stopped him. He pulled his hand away as if he’d been burned, the atmosphere broken. Ace could feel it shatter and so did he. He didn’t need to breathe, but he’d felt as if he’d been holding his breath this entire time.

“Thanks for the lecture, I, uh, I’m going to bed.” Gavin said, he seemed as if he were just coming out of a daze, his eyes unfocused and his pupils wide. Jesus, what had he been about to do?

“Of course, goodnight Gavin.” Ace said, slipping on his skin and normal hair.

“Night.” Gavin was skittish, almost running out of the living room.

Ace felt as if he’d done something wrong, as if the detective finding fault with him was his doing. He wanted to apologize, rectify a wrong, but he couldn’t find it in himself to stand back up—he needed the nothingness of Stasis Mode.

And so, he slept, or at least the android equivalent. 


	14. Parallels (or Just this once)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Discarded title: Reunited and it feels so good

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FLUFF FOR YOUR BITCH ASS, with a side of angsty misunderstandings, because it wouldn't be a slow burn if every time we took a step forward someone else takes two back. 
> 
> (Posterity readers, you may choose to ignore this)  
> Another early release for you guys. I really shouldn't do this, it's not even funny when I say I'm running out of chapters, but I promise to not go beyond my limit. It's always Tuesdays and Saturdays until it's done (or I'm done). These bonus ones are only if I feel I can handle it.  
> Thank you to everyone who's commented, given kudos, bookmarked, etc. I always read all of them and they're like tiny little presents in my inbox! So thank you!

“Everyone listen up!” Fowler said as he stepped out of his glass office early that next morning. Gavin had been lolling off at his station, his head bobbing with the effort to keep it up. Another sleepless night left him feeling worse for wear, and the android leaving, as soon as he’d gotten up, didn’t do anything for his rapidly declining self-esteem

Speaking of the android, he sat stock still as he listened to Fowler, the only indication he knew Gavin was looking at him was the slow cycling of the yellow LED. He’d seen the light without the covering of skin, it was much brighter than it led on.

He’d seen a lot of things last night.

“It is time for our yearly team-building exercise.” Fowler continued, a tablet in his hands. “For this year we’ll be trying something a little different.”

“It has to be better than last years.” Gavin murmured, running a hand down his face, remembering the nightmare that had been ‘cuff-to-cuff,’ where two people were handcuffed for an entire day, unless they got a call, which then led to a mad scramble to find the keys and—just trust him when he said it was bad.

“You will all be switching partners for the day.” Fowler said, many people groaned, looking around themselves in disbelief. “Hush, in an effort to preserve fairness, I’ve made this completely random, blame the computer if you get paired with someone you don’t like, of course, you’ll only be paired with people in your department, wouldn’t expect a lieutenant to work at the same rate as a police officer.” Fowler concluded, holding up his hand so the precinct would quiet down.

One of the secretary androids began calling the new pairs.

Gavin waited patiently for his new assignment, almost excited in some way to get a day off from his android partner. The tension that’d been building between the two of them was having a toll on his muscles, and though another human wasn’t necessarily any better, at least someone different would not grind on his nerves.

“Gavin Reed and Connor RK800.” The android said quickly, moving on to somebody else.

“Huh?” Gavin asked stupidly, locking eyes with his new partner. Fucking great, so much for having a new _human_ partner.

Connor visibly deflated, his shoulders going slack at the prospect of having to work with the prickly detective.

“Hank Anderson and Ace RK900.” Both Reed and Connor snapped their head up.

“Oh, come the fuck on.” Gavin said, this had to be a joke! _Random chance my ass._

Hank looked nonplussed, shrugging his shoulders, and leading the android to sit in Connor’s seat. The predecessor looked like he was going to say something, but thought better about it, turning instead to the detective and the empty terminal beside him.

Throughout the morning, both Connor and Gavin looked at the duo across the small space. They seemed to be getting along just fine, with Hank cracking a joke or two and Ace appreciating the light-hearted nature of the lieutenant, much to the chagrin of the two spectators.

Connor walked into the breakroom some time later, his processors working overtime to keep up with the onslaught of software instability. Ace walked in soon after, a serene facial expression gracing his features—he looked more relaxed than he’d ever been. He caught sight of Connor and gave a little wave.

“You seem to be enjoying the lieutenant’s company.” Connor said, irrational jealousy clinging to his words like ivy.

“Do I?” Ace asked with no semblance of jest, he looked as if he were really considering it. “I guess I do.”

Connor tensed, his body going into the proverbial flight-or-fight mode. “Yeah, well your detective is a pain in my ass. How do you work with that on a daily basis?” Connor asked, emptying a deep well of sympathy into his tone.

“I honestly don’t know.” Ace said, noting how the older android’s speech patterns have changed during his life as a deviant. It gave him a more natural vernacular, almost human in a way, something Ace hadn’t quite got the hang of.

“I don’t know either.” Connor replied after some thought, his coffee ready minutes ago. He was stalling the inevitable, trying to get some extra moments away from the detective.

“Which reminds me, he might be irate because he hasn’t had one of these.” Ace said, pulling out a carton from his jacket pocket. He took out five sticks handing them to Connor alongside the silver lighter. “No more, no less.” Ace instructed.

Connor looked uncomfortable taking the cigarettes but did so without protest.

His predecessor left then, taking the coffee with him. Ace made his own coffee, thinking that the detective had looked more tired than usual.

Connor approached Hank’s desk, placing the cup in his general vicinity. The lieutenant looked up, a playful smirk on his face. He knew the android hated being paired with Gavin, but he also knew he hated that Ace was his partner even more. Armed with that knowledge, Hank began to poke at Connor, both figuratively and literally since the android had decided to lean against the inside of his desk. “Are you getting envious of Ace, Con?” Hank asked with faux concern, his amusement written plain as day on his face.

“That’s a ridiculous notion, lieutenant.” Connor said, his light-pink blush giving him away. Curse his upgraded module, he’d have to turn it off one of these days.

“Ridiculous, huh, so I guess you haven’t been side-eyeing your brother for the better part of the morning?” Hank asked rhetorically. Connor ducked his head, he hadn’t realized the man had been paying attention. He didn’t answer, finding that anything he said would either be a lie or an embarrassing confession.

“Lighten up Con, he may be better than you in every way.” Hank teased, getting a shocked look from his android, “But he’ll never replace you.”

“That, by date, is the most back-handed thing you’ve ever said.” Connor said, crossing his arms, and walking away as the lieutenant chuckled.

Ace made it back to Detective Reed’s desk just as Connor sat down, placing his own cup of coffee by the smaller man.

“I don’t want it.” Reed said, not even looking up to the android.

“Drink it or don’t, I don’t care. I just couldn’t help but noticing that the bags under your eyes are starting to look like suitcases.” Ace said, his tone professional, even if his words were biting.

Reed looked up, narrowing his eyes, and pursing his lips. “Fuck you and fuck off.” He said seriously.

Ace shrugged, for once thankful to have somewhere else to be. Hank shot him a wink, always happy when Detective Shit got put in his place.

Halfway through the day, Hank and Ace got called for a case, and the duo left, leaving Connor and Reed to stew in silence. “So, you just gonna’ sit there and twiddle your thumbs or you gonna’ tell me what’s going on?” Reed asked, turning his chair to face Connor.

They definitely had differences, the two androids, especially in the way they sat. Connor was more relaxed, leaning against the back of the chair as if it provided comfort. “If I must remind you, detective, you haven’t asked me to _do_ anything.” Connor said, not minding his tone.

“I shouldn’t have to ask you. Ace normally-

“Yes, well I’m not him, he may have learned how to read your mind, but I’m not about to follow in his footsteps.” Connor said, his eyes growing impossibly hard. He looked intimidating, sure, but nothing could compare to the steely gaze Ace could conjure, seemingly out of nowhere.

“Is that why you’re so irritated, you think Hank’s gonna’ replace you for a better android so you’re taking it out on me?” Reed said, unkindly.

“You know what, detective, let’s go.” Connor said, standing up so quickly his chair tipped over.

“I don’t take orders from you, prick.” Reed retorted, turning around in his terminal to face his computer.

“I said—Connor twisted him around and grabbed him by his jacket, forcing him to stand, Jesus he was strong—let’s go.”

“Get the fuck off me.” Reed exclaimed, shoving the other android out of the way. “Where we goin’ anyway?” Reed asked, smoothing out his wrinkled garment, stupid freakish android strength.

“Outside. You obviously need a ‘break’.” Connor said, emphasizing his point by using quotation marks.

By the time they made it outside, Connor lit the cigarette, pushing it Reed's way. 1 of 5. “Ace put you up to this?” Reed asked, taking the stick, thankful Connor hadn’t shoved it in his mouth like a pacifier.

“Doesn’t matter, hurry up, we’ve got a call coming.” Connor said, playing with his coin as he waited. He’d have to give RK a medal after today—how could anyone possibly see any redeeming qualities in the other man?

They made it out of the precinct as it began to rain, arriving to the crime scene just as a shot rang out of the building.

“What’s going on?” Connor asked one of the POs taking cover behind a shield. They were getting pelted with water and bullets, the rain soaking them through and through.

“Kidnapping, the victim is a 12-year-old girl, paralyzed from the waist down so don’t be alarmed if she can’t walk. There are two armed men and one destroyed android.” The officer informed them, handing a pad to Connor since he recognized him.

“Any motive?” Reed asked, shivering his teeth off, damn the water was cold.

“It seems that one of the shooters may be the father, but we don’t have a confirmation on that yet.” The officer informed them, flinching when another bullet shot through the air.

“Connor, can you get a visual on the shooters and the little girl?” Reed asked, turning to his temporary partner.

“On it, detective.” He said, going into scan mode. The heat signatures huddled closely together, a smaller one pushed to the side of the house, resting on their side from the looks of it. The RK800 ran some scenarios in his head, none of them looked promising so he turned to Reed. “Do you have a plan, detective?” He asked.

“Has anyone tried asking them what they want?” Reed questioned, getting a megaphone from one of the police cars.

“Not yet, we were waiting for the negotiator to get onsite.” The police officer said, pointing to Connor.

“The _negotiator_ , since when do people call you that?” Reed asked incredulously, taken aback by the title.

“It’s literally in my job description.” Connor said, taking the megaphone from Reed’s hands. “Hello, my name is Connor. I would like to speak to whoever is in charge.” He asked pleasantly, his head poking out of the protective barricade.

Reed snorted, disbelief coating his features like foundation.

Connor chose to ignore him, instead focusing intently on increasing the sensitivity of his ears so he could pick up some of the suspects quick murmuring. They were scared, if their erratic speech pattern was anything to go by, that or they were high on something.

He caught a name, Robert, coming from the smaller man. He waited a bit longer to see if he’d get the other name, no such luck since they’d stopped talking.

“Robert, I know this is not how you wanted this situation to go. She’s your daughter, and I presume you love her, but you’re now causing her more harm than good.” Connor said through the megaphone.

The response from the taller male was to shoot another warning shot. Something had to give!

“Why did you kill the android?” Connor asked, trying another angle. He scanned his fellow bot from afar, getting its model number and preferred name in his peripherals, along with other pertinent information. “Your wife, she ran away with the android and your daughter.” Connor concluded, his percentage of accuracy blinking at 87%. “You wanted to take your life back, you wanted your daughter back.” Connor said.

Another shot rang out, this time grazing his cheek. Reed hissed, pulling him down into a crouch. “Da’ fuck do you think you’re doing?” He asked urgently. “Do you want Hank to kill me?” Gavin continued, fearing more for his life than he’d previously have to.

“I’m fine, I can take care of myself.” Connor insisted, going back up and using the megaphone. “I can tell you’re angry, I just need you to come outside and tell me what you want.” He said calmly, as if he hadn’t been shot.

The perpetrators weren’t budging, they just huddled closer to the window trying to find a better vantage point.

Connor was quickly running out of options. “If you don’t come out, we’ll have no option but to come in! You’ll face greater consequences if you remain inside.” Connor threatened. The bodies inside started to move in the opposite direction, getting closer to the tiny one on the floor.

It took Connor a second to make his decision before he bolted through the bullet-proof barricade, Reed shouting after him. He suffered two major wounds, but nothing hit his most important biocomponents, so he could live with a shattered shoulder and jaw.

The android was able to secure the weapons, tossing them out of reach before the shooters could do more harm. It wasn’t a hard fight, since they were both under the influence of Red Ice. In the end they were arrested, and the little girl was sent to the emergency room where her mother waited for her.

“What the absolute fuck were you think-

“Don’t tell Hank.” Connor said quickly, his voice coming out like static due to his broken jaw.

“What do you mean ‘don’t tell Hank?’ He’s gonna’ wanna’ know what happened to his boy-toy if I go to the precinct without you.” Reed said crossing his arms in protest.

“Just… just tell him I had to go to CyberLife for a minor repair.” Connor pleaded. Hank always said he had a suicidal streak, he didn’t want to prove the older man correct.

“Minor my ass, he’s gonna’ smell the bullshit from a mile away.” Reed said, running a shaky hand through his wet hair.

“Please, detective, I’ll be back before anyone can blink an eye. I just…”

It clicked then why the android was so reluctant to tell the lieutenant about his wounds. “You’re afraid he’ll think you can’t handle it, that you can’t compare to your little brother.” Reed guessed, seeing the distress as more than having to do with the recent events.

Connor didn’t answer, but it was obvious now that that had been his train of thought. “You know he’s gotten hurt before, right? He had to go to CyberLife just like you do now.” Reed reminded the android, pointing to his broken body parts.

“I know, Reed, but-

“But nothing, just get yourself fixed. I’ll go talk to Hank.” Reed said, patting Connor’s uninjured shoulder. The android looked at him with thankful eyes. A quick nod and he was gone, leaving a blue trail of blood behind.

The detective drove slowly to the precinct, buying Connor some extra minutes. By the time he made it back, Hank and Ace were already there, filing their respective reports. It was incredible to see how quickly they worked in sync, as if they’d been partners for years instead of hours.

Hank looked up mid conversation and immediately stilled when he noticed the soaked detective sans Connor. “Forget something, asshole?” Hank asked his mood shifting gears in one fell swoop.

Reed looked around himself, patting his pockets as if he truly had forgotten something. “Yeah, I must have misplaced my sense of giving a fuck.” Gavin replied, deadpan.

“Listen you shit!” Hank heaved the smaller man up to eye-level, his anger masking the fear he felt in his blue eyes. “If you’ve done something to Connor, so help me god-

“Calm down, shit for brains, he’s at CyberLife. He sustained some injuries, but he didn’t want me to tell you.” Reed said, not even phased by Hank’s display of aggression. “The reason I _am_ telling you is because I think his request was stupid. Talk some sense into your android, he’s developing an inferiority complex because of him.” Reed said, pointing towards the RK900. Ace looked down at himself and then to Gavin with his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Hank let him go with a huff, pushing past him as he went outside, probably to CyberLife to find his android.

“How did your day with Hank go?” Gavin asked, trying (and failing) to sound nonchalant.

“It went well, detective, we were able to get a case resolved without too much of an issue, all that’s left to do is pack up.” Ace said holding his hands at his back.

Gavin nodded, walking away towards the terminal, his shoulders hunched a bit as the self-deprecating thoughts ran through his head.

“Detective,” Ace said, stopping Reed in his tracks. “You’re soaking wet, shouldn’t you change into something else?” Asked the android, noting how Reed’s footprints left small puddles when he moved.

“I’ll be fine.” Gavin said, dismissing the android’s worry. Though RK900 didn’t believe him, he let the matter drop, having learned from experience that sometimes it was better to leave well enough alone.

An hour before his shift ended, Connor and Hank made it back to the precinct. Ace wouldn’t comment about the small limp in the android’s gait, or the way he seemed to be floating on air.

“Goodnight.” Gavin said as he packed up for the night. None of them spoke about the fact that they’d switched back to their original partners or that Fowler hadn’t followed up on the team-building exercise.

“Goodnight, detective.” Ace said. He almost made a move to follow Gavin, the fact that this had somehow become the norm to him did not escape him. However, he wasn’t nearly as comfortable with Gavin to warrant such a bold move. He’d have to wait until the detective extended another invitation.

He watched Connor and Hank go, the older man had a hand to Connor’s lower back, leading him out of the building. They seemed to be in a hurry. More people followed their lead, shutting down their computers and going home. Ace felt lonely then, as if he were the only android in the entire world who didn’t have a partner or a home.

**|Welcome Back! |**

Ace woke up to the blinking notification, he hadn’t even realized he’d initiated stasis mode until he was awake again. Damn it, he was becoming more human by the second.

He waited patiently for Reed to arrive, ready to get the day started.

He waited a bit more, checking his internal clock. It was ten past 8 AM, an extremely late time for the detective to be arriving.

When half an hour passed with no sign of Gavin, he began to twitch impatiently in his seat. His fingers toyed with his card, but even that only kept him distracted for so long.

When an hour passed, he called the detective. 6 rings later it went to voicemail, something was wrong.

Ace exercised his CyberLife designed legs, reaching the detective’s apartment faster than any human ever could, knocking impatiently until he felt the neighbours above could hear him.

No answer.

“Gavin!” He shouted, slamming his palm against the door frame. One of the other tenants came out of the side apartment, giving Ace the stink eye. “Keep it down! I have a baby trying to sleep!” The woman said with a finality to her tone.

Ace nodded but kept knocking. After a solid ten minutes he decided to go against his better judgement and hack the automatic lock. It was quick work disabling the alarm and key system, in retrospect no android should have that capability in their hands, but he couldn’t be bothered with retrospection when his detective could be lying on the floor in a puddle of his own blood.

He called out to Gavin again, stopping at his door with only a second of hesitation. He’d never been invited into Gavin’s room before, this would definitely constitute an invasion of privacy, but he’d deal with the repercussions later, he just had to know that Gavin was okay.

Ace opened the door, noticing it hadn’t been locked, and did a quick scan.

Okay, he was alive, but it seemed just barely, as a loud and mucous-y cough rang through the air.

Ace sighed, a fond and worried smile replacing his previously panicked features. “I told you to change detective.” Ace said, slowly approaching the bundle of sheets that was Detective Reed’s cocoon.

The human startled, pushing the sheets down so his face peaked out from above. “Da’ fuck are you doing here?” Reed asked, his voice sounding incredibly stuffed. He looked like he was in agony, his eyes red and runny, his nose leaking and bright like the proverbial Reindeer. He had a light-sheen of sweat covering his exposed face, chills running through his body every couple of seconds.

“You weren’t at the precinct and you didn’t answer your phone, so I thought I’d-

“What, break into my house?” Gavin said, he tried to sound upset, but he had a small smile playing on his lips. God, he felt like shit, he probably looked like it too. He’d woken up to the worst pounding in his head, and the most abysmal cough. If you looked, you may be able to find his lung somewhere next to the bed.

“I’m sorry, I know breaking and entering is illegal, but I had just cause.” Ace placated, going for an excuse that sounded feasible. He put a hand to the detective’s forehead, the human unable to protest since his limbs ached like nobody’s business.

“You’re running a fever, 102.2 F, nothing inherently uncommon for the flu.” Ace said, brushing a sweaty lock out of the detective’s face.

“I know, dipshit.” Gavin said, his voice hoarse. He began another coughing fit, wet and slimy in the back of his throat. He grabbed a tissue from the box, spitting into it then grimacing at what he saw. Yellow with some dark brown and black, probably because of his already abused lungs. “Gross.” He said, tossing the paper into the mountain of used tissues next to his bed.

“Would you like me to call you off? I anticipate a three-to-five day sick leave.” Ace said, already pulling up the number for the precinct.

“Do whatever, I don’t care.” Gavin said, burying himself once more into the sheets.

After everything was said and done, Ace began the task of taking care of Gavin. The detective put up a fight at first, but soon gave up the protests when he saw that the android wasn’t about to leave him be.

Ace cleaned up around the house first, tossing away any expired food, and feeding the cats. He then downloaded a vegetable soup recipe to maintain the detective’s required caloric intake. He let it simmer on the stove and went to pick up all the discarded tissues, placing an unused trash bin by the side of Gavin’s bed.

Once the soup was done and the house was relatively clean, Ace brought a large bowl with a tall glass of water. “Detective.” Ace said, placing the items on the tiny night stand. There was a grumble from the sheets, almost like the sound of someone saying ‘fuck off’.

“Gavin.” Ace tried again, his tone a bit more authoritative. Gavin pushed down his sheets again, looking the android in the eyes and pouting.

“What?” Gavin asked, only now taking in the clean state of his room and the food. He couldn’t even smell it.

“You need to eat.” Ace reminded kindly. He sat by the edge of the bed, taking the liberty to do so—Gavin didn’t complain but looked like wanted to.

“I’m not hungry.” The detective protested meekly, his stomach felt nauseated at the thought of ingesting something in the state he was in.

“I know, that’s why I prepared something light.” Ace said. He looked at Gavin expectantly, and when the human didn’t budge he said, “You need to sit up.”

“No.” Gavin said, shaking his head.

“As you wish.” Ace said, rolling up his sleeves (he’d taken his jacket off) and pulling some of the sheets down.

Gavin grabbed at them, but his weak grip could do nothing to keep them in place.

Ace took a second to realize that the detective was topless under the layers (probably naked, by the looks of it). Gavin started to shiver, a result of being exposed to the colder air of his room.

Ace knocked himself back into the present, folding over the blankets under the detective’s armpits. He picked up some of the discarded pillows, putting them beneath Gavin’s head until he was in a more suitably reclined position; at least this way he won’t choke on his liquids.

Through the entire ordeal, Gavin had been murmuring low curse words his way, cursing his creators and those that came before them until kingdom come.

Ace only looked at him skeptically and then went to sit back down at his side. “You need to eat, regardless of how shitty you feel.” Ace reminded. He took the water first, noting that the detective was probably dehydrated from all the coughing and sweating.

He held the glass to Gavin’s lips, letting him take small sips at a time. Some of the water dripped out of his mouth and down his throat, creating a trail until it collected by the sheets. Ace tried to ignore the large chunks of data that had been taken just to record and store that moment for posterity. He shouldn’t be thinking this way, the detective was sick, probably the last thing on his mind were thoughts of the sexual nature.

Gavin was able to finish the glass with maximum effort, though he fell into another coughing fit soon after, taking a handful of tissues and hacking into them once more. “I’m probably the epitome of beauty and grace right now.” He said, obviously sarcastic.

Ace cracked a half-smile, moving a bit closer to brush the stubborn lock out of the detective’s handsome, albeit sick, face. “You are.” The android said, his voice sincere and warm.

“Shut up.” Gavin said, feeling his throat protest the more he spoke.

“If it makes you feel better, I will.” Ace said taking the soup and blowing into the bowl. The steam rose to his face, the smell greeting his nostrils, and though he had no frame of reference for what was good, he figured that the combination of herbs and spices, plus the potatoes and carrots, couldn’t be too bad.

Taking a small spoonful, he brought it slowly to Reed’s apprehensive face. The detective took a slight sip, feeling like a toddler as the android fed him.

“Where do androids even _learn_ to cook?” Gavin asked, his face screwing up in confusion when the taste hit his dampened taste buds. Fuck he couldn’t _taste_ anything, but it felt good sliding down his throat.

“Where does anyone learn how to do anything nowadays?” Ace asked in return.

“The internet.” They both said in unison. Gavin chuckled at that, finding that it had been a ridiculous question to ask.

He couldn’t finish the entire bowl, but the little he was able to consume satiated the android. He helped Gavin to the bathroom after that, standing politely by the door as the detective took care of his most basic human needs, apparently, he’d been in his boxers under the sheets. Ace could finally see the entirety of his tattoo, though he didn’t ogle. 

Going back to bed proved to be difficult, so Ace hauled him up, bridal style, and carried him there. Gavin was too startled to speak so he just kept quiet, his cheeks going a dark red, as he was lowered to the bed.

“Do you feel any better?” Ace asked, finding himself touching the detective’s face longer than was necessary to acquire an appropriate temperature reading.

“No, but at least I don’t feel like I’m dying.” Gavin said, then thought over his words. “So I guess, yes.” He murmured.

He buried himself underneath the sheets and curled into a tight ball.

“Thank you.” It had been said in the tiniest whisper conjured by man-kind, Ace almost had to strain to hear it.

The android beamed at that, the corners of his lips reaching the sides of temples with how wide they’d gotten. “Go to sleep Gavin, I’ll wake you up when it’s time for dinner.” Ace said instead of ‘you’re welcome.’

True to his word, Ace woke him up for dinner. He had another tall glass of water, this time it was easier to down. He also carried with him a damp warm cloth, wiping it across Gavin’s face, cleaning the worst of the damage.

“I brought bread this time, let’s see if you can tolerate some solids.” Ace said, keeping his tone soft. Gavin looked like he was in some serious pain, rubbing at his temples every couple of minutes as if they ached. He also rubbed at his sinuses, cursing how tender they were.

The detective finished more of the soup this time, the bread though, he could only nibble. Ace took the plates into the sink and washed them, thinking of what else he could do to make Gavin feel better.

The android looked around the cupboards and found a carton of Chamomile Tea. It wasn’t expired, so he read the instructions and made a small cup. He put exactly a teaspoon of sugar, figuring if the detective took his coffee like that, he might enjoy his tea the same way.

When he walked back inside the room, Gavin had lolled off to sleep, his head at an awkward angle. Ace took the time to correct the detective’s posture, his hands lingering at the sides of his skull. He rubbed lightly, feeling the tightness of his jaw slowly go slack.

Gavin opened his eyes slowly, taking in the scene before him. Ace was so close, his face only inches away from his own. The way he rubbed at his temples felt great, sending his heart in disarray as it skipped some beats. “I’m sorry.” The android said quickly, removing his hands with haste.

“Ace, I’m only ever sick once a year, most of the time I have to sit in this bed _alone_ and go through the freaking motions of being sick.” Gavin began, sounding so different from his normal self. His stuffed nose gave him an almost comically high voice, making anything he said sound less serious than it was. “I can’t remember the last time anyone’s pampered me like this.”

“I didn’t mean to treat you like a child-

“Stop, let me finish.” Gavin said, holding a hand up. “I’m not usually this open and honest with anyone, but you’re doing me a solid here, so I _guess_ I have to show some appreciation. Just this once though.” Gavin continued, reaching for the android’s hands. He placed them at the side of his head, prompting them resume what they were doing.

“Just this once.” Ace parroted, slowly restarting his ministrations.

“Just this once I’ll let you take care of me.” Gavin said, closing his eyes at the sensation. “But if you ever tell anyone, I’ll deny it. Even if you have video evidence in that stupid brain of yours.” Gavin concluded, opening an eye to his partner.

Ace was smiling, soft and sweet. It made Gavin’s throat run dry. He reached for the tea he’d seen the android put down, patting Ace’s hands away as he moved to help him. Gavin would be fine for now, he could already feel his grip returning slowly.

“Are you gonna’ stay the night?” Gavin asked after he’d finished the tea, a little sweeter than he normally took it, but he wasn’t about to complain.

“It depends on if you want me here or not.” Replied the android.

“Screw it, why not?” Gavin said, apparently more amicable when he was sick. Maybe it was the fact that his prefrontal cortex was full of mucous.

Ace took a seat by the detective’s bed, waving away any protests that it was creepy, and simply sat as Gavin lost a battle with his consciousness, falling asleep.

The next morning, Gavin was well enough to take a quick shower and brush his teeth. He did need help making it to the living room though, and Ace was happy to oblige, carrying him like a princess all the way to the couch.

If anyone else found out that Gavin liked the way Ace manhandled him, he’d kill them and anyone who even suggested that preposterous idea.

They watched TV for a good portion of the day, the detective bundled up in a slew of blankets and Ace sitting by him, occasionally bringing him food and water.

It was late at night when Gavin laid down, putting his head squat in the middle of the android’s legs. “You’re warm.” Gavin commented, sinking into the unnatural heat. “You’re not getting sick, are you?” Gavin asked as an afterthought.

“That’s literally impossible. I’ve simply increased the temperature of my body, seeing as you seem to enjoy wrapping yourself in a pile of warmth.” Ace said, keeping incredibly still as the detective wiggled around his lap, trying to find a comfortable angle for his head. His sensors were working overtime to catalogue the feelings in his stomach, equal parts excitement, and fear. He wanted to know what had led Gavin to get so close to him.

“Isn’t that dangerous for your Thirium?” Gavin asked absentmindedly. He’d finally found a position, realizing that the material of the android’s pants was actually quite soft. He rubbed his cheek against it, finally understanding the interest his cats had shown towards the android’s legs. It only slightly crossed his mind how this looked if anyone else dared to enter his living room at this moment. He honestly wouldn’t know how to explain himself, but he also asked if this needed explanation.

“No. It’s fine.” Ace said, almost forgetting the question in his effort to keep still. His hand itched to rub the small space between Gavin’s shoulder and the nape of his neck, run his fingers through those brown locks, and track an analyzing tongue through his skin. It was hard to think straight when all he could see was Gavin.

The detective snorted every couple of seconds at the ridiculousness that was on the television. His guilty pleasures, when it came to entertainment, were train-wreck reality TV shows. “Oh, my fucking god, that’s so stupid!” Gavin cackled against Ace’s thigh, turning so he was now face down and laughing. He was loopier than normal, probably due to his acute illness, it made his emotions turn into something more organic, like a flower in the sun.  

Ace froze, his processors giving up on him for a minute. His head space was blank and all he could do was hope and pray that Gavin wouldn’t turn around to look at his face, it was probably giving away every flittering emotion he had. The back of the detective’s head was presented to him like a canvas, its brown expanse waiting to be run through.

He couldn’t though, he shouldn’t… but like a wise-man once said: Fuck it.

Ace gave into his simplest desire, to run a palm through Gavin’s slightly damp hair. He was still sweating off the virus, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been, and Ace was a bit proud that he’d had something to do with his upward progress.

Gavin stilled, his breath catching in his throat as he felt the back of his head getting caressed. He shivered into the touch, his body melting quickly into that warm hand. Who knew androids could be so soft?

When Ace added another hand, a small whine escaped the detective. He hadn’t meant to do it, but fuck did that feel good.

Ace would have stopped then, he almost did, but Gavin had pushed his head into his hands so insistently, that he couldn’t help but continue. He was slow and methodical about the way he massaged his scalp, almost as if he were solving a problem. Up down; left right; in out and then reverse.

By the time he’d has his fill, and then some, Gavin had fallen asleep. He turned over in his slumber, his face now pointed towards the ceiling. Ace obtained a decent amount of information in the way Gavin slept, he had catalogued the shape of his mouth, his eyes, the way the lines on his face disappeared. Everything.

He didn’t realize he was tracing them with his fingers until Gavin opened his eyes, catching him in the act.

“I probably look so gross right now, all stuffed nose and overgrown beard.” Gavin said, his chuckle felt self-deprecating. He held Ace’s hand in place, letting the warm android caress his face a little longer. “What does your brain think of me?” Gavin said, referring to the stuttering yellow LED.

“I think you look absolutely human.” Ace said, running a free thumb over the bottom lip of his partner, noting the parallels to the other night when the detective had done the same. Gavin couldn’t possibly know what he’d been doing to the android these past several weeks. No one would have thought that such a prickly human could ever be so kind and caring towards animals, even changing a major part of his lifestyle to try and do them no harm. He didn’t begrudge the detective for not understanding androids, Ace barely understood them himself. One of these days he may have to ask why Gavin hated them so much.

“Thanks for the compliment, tin-can, s’not very hard to look human when you _are_ one.” Gavin said rolling his eyes, he almost pulled away from the android’s touch, feeling a bit offended over being called human. (Something Hank would surely have mocked, what with him thinking all Gen-Zers were snowflakes.)

But he didn’t, and that says something. He also could not quite understand what was going on between the two of them, but he knew a tension was building, and eventually something had to give.

“It wasn’t an insult, Gavin.” Ace said softly, looking down at him, his eyes shifting quickly over his face, as if he couldn’t decide where to look.

Would it be ill-mannered if he kissed him now? Gavin was only showing vulnerability because he was sick, taking advantage would probably only land him in hot water.

With that thought in mind, the android slowly removed his hand, one of the most painful things he’d ever had to do—almost up there with deviancy. “It’s time to go to bed.” Ace said, looking away from the detective.

Gavin looked visibly hurt, as if the atmosphere had been broken by something he’d said. “I don’t want to.” Gavin replied, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

“You must, you’re still sick, you’re not thinking properly.” Ace tried to say, but his words were weak on exit, feeling like lies sticking to his Thirium-made saliva.

“Is that what you think this is? That I’m so out of it I wouldn’t be able to tell what was going on?” Gavin said, sitting up. “That I wouldn’t be able to decide for myself what I wanted?” Gavin continued, his cheeks growing hot red.

“That’s not what I said.” Ace replied, echoing a past sentiment.

“It’s what you fucking _implied_.” Gavin said, almost like clock-work.

“Gavin, please, just go to bed.” Ace implored, his LED switching quickly between solid yellow and stuttering red.

“Why you thinkin’ so hard, huh?” Gavin said, his voice rising a bit. The shift brought on an onslaught of coughs, silencing him for the moment. Ace handed him a tissue box, and he begrudgingly accepted, blowing his nose, and spitting out phlegm.

“Sometimes, it’s hard to think when I’m around you.” Ace confessed, answering the question.

“Da’ fuck am I supposed to do with that information? What, am I so much of an enigma that my entire existence eludes you?” Gavin said, pushing the subject past its breaking point. He’d never seen the android so stressed, he wondered if he should stop, if Ace would self-destruct if he kept up the argument any longer.

“Yes, no. Fuck Gavin, I don’t know!” Ace almost shouted. “What do you want from me?” He asked, almost desperate.

“I could ask you the same.” There, right there, the tension, palpable. He could pluck it right out of the fucking sky.

Ace stood up and Gavin almost jumped with how quickly he’d moved.

The distressed android ambled a couple of inches away, stopping to drop his head into his chest. “I don’t know.” He replied.

Ace moved again, going for his jacket, the only garment he’d taken off.

“Where you goin’?” Gavin asked, his mood shifting again.

“Back to the precinct, you’re feeling a bit better, so I think tomorrow you can finish the rest of the soup and-

“Please don’t go.” Gavin whined, sounding almost depraved with the way he said it.

“What?” Ace asked, turning back around.

“Don’t make me say it again. I’m already regretting it as it is.” Gavin replied, wrapping himself in the blankets.

Ace fought with his desire to bolt and the other, stronger urge to wrap Gavin up in a tight hug and not let him go.  “You’re awful, you know that?” Ace said picking up the detective. He refused to meet his eyes while he held him this close. There was no way he’d look into them the same way again, not with the way his deviancy worked overtime to supply him with new and undocumented emotions.

“It’s not the first time I’ve heard it, and it definitely won’t be the last.” Gavin said, stretching into his bed.

“Goodnight, Gavin.” Ace said, almost sounding exhausted. He made to move to the door, but the sick man stopped him with a hand.

“I thought I asked you to-

“I’m simply going outside.” Ace interrupted, he had his hand on the handle, wanting so much to just book it.

“No, stay here, with me.” Gavin murmured, if he pouted anymore, his lips might fall off.

Ace sighed, removing his shoes, and sitting at the other side of the bed. For the sake of solidarity, he removed his shirt, but kept his pants on. He brought Gavin into a firm embrace, shushing him when he tried to say anything.

“Just this once.” Ace told him, almost like a prayer.

Gavin eventually gave in, he scooted closer until he slid into position like a puzzle piece. Layers of blankets separated them, but it almost felt as if they were touching, skin to synthetic skin.

They both fell asleep, unable to say the things they wanted, but unwilling to let go. It was frustrating to say the least, but at least they’d have this moment. Even if it was _just this once_.


	15. Boots and Cats on a loop for 6 seconds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm taking some liberties with what androids can and can't do, well, just this android, the RK900

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're ready to suffer a little more. HOLD ON JUST A LITTLE WHILE LONGER!! We're almost to the end of the tunnel, agh, the light! it burrrrrrrrns!!!

Two weeks passed since the ‘sick day incident,’ as Ace was calling it, they didn’t speak about it, and if they avoided topics that involved the flu or sleep, well none’s the wiser.

The duo currently patrolled a house from the detective’s car, it was dark outside and even darker within. However, there were heat signatures in the basement, one in the centre indicating a hearth, the plumes of smoke billowing in the sky from the back. Perfect environment to purify Thirium.

Gavin crossed his arms, waiting for a cue from his partner. They couldn’t very well get in and perform an arrest without a warrant.

A car pulled up, two androids holding guns exited the vehicle, going into the trunk and retrieving some suitcases. They knocked on the front door, an eye-scan letting them in. Ace strained to hear, but even his advanced Auditory Units found it difficult to pick up anything relevant.

A couple of minutes later, the two androids left the house, their hands now empty. Ace and Gavin followed the duo, tailing them with enough distance that it wasn’t suspicious.

The androids paid them no mind, sticking to the outskirts of Detroit, stopping only to drop off another suitcase. Ace marked the houses in his mind’s eye, keeping a mental tab of places they had to search later.

When the car rounded onto the highway, they sped off, Reed followed them, minding their jurisdiction—if they crossed state lines, they’d have to give up the chase. Luckily for them, the androids left the highway, turning into a rundown part of Detroit on the other side of the city.

They stopped, one of the androids getting out of the vehicle and looking into the trunk. Gavin parked out of sight yet still retained a visual on the two suspects. Before he could even say yes, Ace left the vehicle, sneaking between the abandoned homes, making his way behind the android counting the items in the car.

Gavin could only watch in both acute anger and worry as the superior android touched his fellow robot’s skull.

The lesser bot collapsed in a heap, Ace careful to catch him before it could make any sound. His LED was blinking quickly, but he seemed to be in control of the situation. The other android, however, must have heard _something_ because he got out of the car. Ace snuck around the vehicle, able to wind around until he could reach the android’s skull, catching it unawares.

Gavin got out of the car, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. “You wanna’ tell me what the fuck you just did?” He asked, looking to the heap of androids at his feet.

“I didn’t have time to explain detective, they probably would have heard if I did.” Ace said, a poor excuse, but it was the only one that came to mind. The truth was that he thought the detective would have slowed him down, he couldn’t say as such without the risk of hurting the other man’s sensibilities.

“Next time sign it to me, or something. You don’t just jump out of the car!” Gavin hissed, pointing an accusatory finger to his partner.

“Sorry, detective.” Ace said, the line sounding rehearsed.

Gavin shook his head and rolled his eyes; his signature moves when he didn’t know what else to say. “What do we do now?” He asked, feeling a bit apprehensive where they stood.

“We take these androids back to the precinct, cure them of their _illness_ , and I extract the information from their memories. We may need to have an android rehabilitation unit until we can find Dr. Freeham, her android partner, and the signal responsible for the scramble.” Ace said as he heaved the two androids into the vehicle they came. He removed the trackers from their LEDs, tossing them as far as he could. He scanned the car, glad that he did because there was a third tracker located under the steering wheel.

They brought everything back to the precinct, the two androids still out cold. Ace and Gavin carried them into an interrogation room, sitting them down on opposite sides. Just as a safety measure, they cuffed them.

Ace approached the darker skinned AC700, deactivating part of its skin to access the panel on its neck. Ace had acquired a portable diagnostic machine from a CyberLife technician, it was on a lease though, so he had to be careful how he handled it.

Reed looked away as Ace pushed the needles into the android’s neck. Jeepers, that was freaking morbid.

On the laptop a large error appeared, the Skorpio virus isolated in a large border, almost like a cage. Ace worked quickly to disassemble it, keeping a tab on the android’s condition. He’d initiated emergency Stasis Mode in both bots—it was the reason they weren’t responding to any command.

Ace wanted to do it _right_ this time, he couldn’t afford to lose another android. They were supposed to be equal to humans, their lives were more than just code and wiring.

Once finished with the AC700, he moved onto the LM100. On cue, the Skorpio virus was isolated and encased. Ace worked just as quickly to disassemble the code, his own processors working overtime to make sure everything was clean, and there’d been nothing missed.

“It’s done.” Ace said to the detective, who’d been leaning against the wall as the android worked, letting him do his magic.

“You ready to interrogate them?” Gavin asked, making his way to the door to go into the observation room.

“In a minute, detective.” Ace said, putting the sensitive equipment away. It was a precious piece of technology—incredibly dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands. It had the power to reset an android, a full body shiver ran through his core, reminding him that his thoughts were never 100% safe.

Locking the device behind a wall of encryption, that only an android of his caliber could decode, he returned to the interrogation room. He started with the AC700, waking it up from Stasis—it jumped, the LED at its temple a solid red. It looked around, unseeing for a couple of seconds before the situation came into focus.

“Hello, my name is Ace, I’m a detective android currently conducting an investigation on Skorpio.” Ace introduced himself, almost extending a hand. He thought better of it. “You were under their influence, I’ve made it my duty to wipe their virus from your system, I hope that with a clearer mind you’ll be able to aid us in our mission.” Ace said. He was surprised by his own diplomacy—CyberLife had imbued him many more violent options than non-violent ones. He didn’t know if that said something about the research they’d conducted, or humans as a whole.

The AC700 took a second to register his words, his frame vibrating with the effort to keep still. “Am I going to be reset?” It asked in a quiet voice.

“Not if you cooperate.” Ace said, it sounded like a threat, but he’d meant it sincerely.

“What do you want to know?” It asked, not putting up a fight because it had no reason to.

Ace held a hand close to the android’s temple, the LED colouring his hand a shiny red. “May I look?” Ace asked, always the one to obtain permission before he went into someone’s memories.

The AC700 nodded, closing his eyes as Ace touched him. In an instant, the android knew everything, he saw and catalogued the other android’s life in less than a second. Ace pulled away, his own LED stuttering red. “She wants another revolution.” He whispered in shock, Dr. Freeham’s plan finally unraveling itself in his mind.

“She and the androids want to start a war. She’s controlling the humans with Red Ice, and the androids with the Skorpio virus.” AC700 confirmed, nodding along to its own statements. “She wants to combine both and make an army of robo-humans.”

“Why?” Ace asked, her motives still eluding him.

“No one really knows yet. Maybe she has a strange fascination with robots, you’ve seen how she looks, she’s more machine than human at this point.” AC700 said, their LED finally going to a yellow. It was starting to calm down.

“I’m going to check with your partner, maybe he has seen something more.” Ace said, repeating the process all over again.

The only thing of use was that he now knew the other half to Dr. Freeham’s plan: Kieran the AP700

After leading the two androids to the temporary rehabilitation centre (which was really just a glorified closet) the android and his human partner returned to their terminals, filing what they’ve learned and calling it a day.

Gavin hadn’t invited him over since the night they’d slept in the same bed. It made the RK900 feel a certain way, as if his selfishness that night had ruined any chances of development with the detective.

He sat in the hushed silence of the precinct, feeling the true emptiness of the desk beside him. “Did he leave you again?” Connor asked, coming up to his terminal.

“What do you mean ‘again’?” Ace asked, squinting at the other android. Connor had taken to bugging him at night as he waited for Hank to finish up. It was never truly a bother to talk to Connor, but he’d become more perceptive lately (or maybe he’d always been like that), nothing seemed to escape his brown eyes.

“You heard what I said.” Connor replied, shrugging his shoulders. “You know you’re always welcome to go into Stasis Mode at our house.” Connor said, pointing towards Hank as he did so.

“I wouldn’t want to impose.” Ace said, growing awkward at the thought of being a third-wheel in their relationship. He still hadn’t fully wiped the memory of the evidence locker from his digital mind. The code was in there, deep, and slimy, stuck to every surface like super-glue.

“You wouldn’t be, but it’s always your choice.” Connor said, walking away without another word.

The next day was the detective’s day off, that also meant that it was _Ace’s_ day off, though he really didn’t know what to do with it.

Reed’s terminal blinked with a notification; he’d forgotten to log off again. Ace was about to turn the off computer, until the message caught his eye. It was connected to the detective’s personal phone, something all the employees were told _not_ to do, but who listened to their superiors anyway?

This lapse in better judgement is how the android now knew that the detective was going on a date tonight. Ace sat slowly into the detective’s seat, reading, almost as someone else, the messages that appeared from both parties.

It was a pleasant conversation, some sentences were filled with innuendo, some were a bit more forward, almost detailing in exact precision what each party could offer. RK saw red, the strongest emotion he’d felt to date overloaded his processors, if looks could kill, the monitor would be dead.

He continued reading, though, torturing himself slowly, learning the way the detective spoke to a potential love interest. It was quirky and almost wince-worthy at moments, but either the other party didn’t care or found it charming because they continued their discourse way into the day. Hours passing between them, but never failing to text back.

Ace looked through the log, ignoring the large warning that said this was _“wrong”_ and an _“invasion of privacy._ ” He _needed_ to know how long this had been going on. The android sighed in relief—only a day or two, not nearly enough for anything to have happened if they were still planning a date. Oh god! They were planning a date.

Ace stilled when the subject of other partners was brought into question. Ace waited, with baited breath, for the detective to answer.

 _Not really_. -Gavin

 _> >>What does that mean?_ -Unnamed Target

_It’s complicated, I guess._

_> >>Should I be worried? Sounds kinda’ serious._

_No, of course not, it’s nothing, forget I even brought it up. We’re still on for tonight, right?_

_> >>Definitely, I’m very excited to see you in person, Gavin._

_Me too, Evan._

Ace closed his overworked eyes. What did that mean, _‘it’s complicated’_? Did the detective like him or not? He could never tell with that human, so prickly one second, and soft the other.

The android made a decision, one he might regret later, it might even make him fall out of graces with the detective, but he couldn’t see this date follow its inevitable conclusion. Not while there was still Thirium-X pumping through his body.

Ace made it to the restaurant 45 minutes before either Evan or Gavin. He’d changed out of his CyberLife uniform and found some civilian clothes in the lost and found. They were actually his size and not so casual that he’d stand out. The last thing he needed to do was remove his LED, at least for the night. He wanted to blend in with the crowd of humans, a blinking light was the complete opposite of that. The android even went as far as changing his hair to that blond colour he hadn’t been fond of, altering the direction of his quiff—he had to be thorough.

And so, he rearranged some of the cells on his back, the ones that wouldn’t normally be seen, placing them around his face, into a different being altogether—he looked nothing like himself, and that was the point.

No one stopped him when he walked into the restaurant, he looked determined, his expression probably scaring the workers.

He sat in the back corner of the restaurant, picking up a menu but ultimately putting it down as he scanned the room. They still weren’t here. He went into scan mode, remaining there until he saw the brunet enter the establishment with another man. Tall, blond (bleached), well-built, and a pleasant smile.

Ace couldn’t quite catch his eyes, it ticked him off a bit. He stood, seeing where they were seated and moved closer, still out of the way, but now he could watch them without being spotted. Ace could also hear them clearly, without having to amplify his Auditory Units.

They went through the pleasantries of greeting each other, ordering their food when prompted, and keeping mostly to themselves for the first ten minutes.

This gave Ace a chance to look at them both, analyze their body posture, how they looked at each other, social cues he’d been programmed to detect. However, he kept getting lost observing Gavin, the man had cleaned up nicely, wearing a better outfit than what he normally wore, his white dress shirt hugged him a bit too tightly, but maybe that had been his intention. His jeans were black and so were his leather (synthetic) boots.

He’d shaved his stubble, dialing back the clock on his actual age. He looked different, a _good_ different.

Reed stood, briefly excusing himself, he was patting his pockets for something.

 _Cigarette_. Ace guessed, standing up to follow the detective.

Reed made it to the back of the restaurant and leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath. His heart was going a mile a minute. He hadn’t done this in so long, but he needed to, for his sake more than anything.

Gavin startled when he saw that someone had followed him outside. Immediately tensing at the stranger, cursing when realized he’d left his gun at work, fucking android making him keep it there for “safety reasons.”

“You here to smoke?” The blond asked, his voice was light and friendly, but it felt forced.

“Yeah, need something?” Gavin asked, relying heavily on his training if push came to shove and he needed to defend himself.

“Nah, just wondering if you wanted a light.” The man said nicely, he pulled out a silver light, almost twirling it until he thought better about it.

Gavin cursed himself again, the android (stupid fucking Smoking Cessation Program) had his lighter. “Lucky guess, I actually do.” Gavin replied, pulling out a singular stick from his daily allowance of five, and put it in his mouth. He’d gotten so used to Ace taking care of him on that regard, that he almost didn’t accept the lighter when it was given to him.

The stranger in front of him raised a confused eyebrow as he held out the silver thing. “Here.” He prompted.

“Could you, eh, could you light it for me? I’m not really supposed to…” Gavin trailed off, he was beet red, _ashamed_ at asking the stranger to do something so personal.

The blond smirked, almost as if he knew something. He looked familiar then, the blue eyes reminding him of his stupid fucking android. Ace was the reason he was on this date anyway, he wanted to forget the recurring thoughts he had of the other bot—even if it was just for one night.

The man lit his cigarette, his fingers practiced from probably years of experience. Gavin took a first drag, feeling the smoke hit his soul. “You shouldn’t be smoking that, you know.” The blond said, still standing there by him, looking at nothing in particular.

“I know, I’m trying to quit, okay?” Gavin said, growing a bit defensive, it was his nature.

“Then I’m proud of you.” He said, sounding sincere.

“Who are you anyway?” Gavin asked, his guard may have lowered a bit, but he still didn’t trust this man that seemingly had appeared out of thin air.

“Andy, you can call me Andy.” He replied, the name sounding foreign even to Gavin, who had no reason to distrust the man.

“Nice to meet you _Andy_. Name’s Gavin, I’m actually on a date right now.” He said, extending a hand to shake it.

As Andy shook it, he felt it then, that familiar grip. Some strong alarm bells were ringing off in his head, but he decided to ignore them (and his intuition) and just go with it.

“Is she pretty?” Andy asked, genuinely curious.

“He, and I guess, though blonds aren’t really my type.” Gavin said. “Especially if it’s bleached.” Gavin continued, chuckling.

“What is your type, Gavin?” Andy continued.

Gavin looked up suddenly, his heart skipping irregularly at the way the man said his name. Fuck, there was an itch in his head he couldn’t quite scratch, his detective brain wanted to dig a little deeper, but he had nothing but a hunch to go off. “Tall, handsome, brunet or light-brown. Don’t really care about the eyes, but blues or greys are nice.” Gavin said. Not quite sure why he was confessing this to the man.

“That’s all superficial though, what about personality, what’s inside?” Andy pressed, sounding almost desperate to find out.

Gavin raised an eyebrow, a different suspicion taking hold. “Wouldn’t want them to be a prick, that’s for sure, he has to like cats. A bit rough around the edges, but we can shoot the shit when it comes down to it.” Gavin said, a particular figure crossing his line of sight, but he decidedly ignored it, going instead for tapping his cigarette and taking a final drag.

“Well, let's just hope this date of yours fits all that criteria.” Andy said, forced civility in his tone.

“Yeah, let's.” Gavin said, his eyes narrowed as he flicked the spent butt into the alley.

“After you.” Andy said, opening the back door, and letting Gavin walk through. Before Gavin could turn around, the man was gone. Gavin shook his head, wondering if sleep deprivation was leading him to hallucinate.

“I’m back.” Gavin said brightly, Evan nodded, a small smile on his face.

“Almost thought you’d been swallowed whole, what took you so long?” Evan asked.

Ace stopped paying attention. He’d changed his face again and his hair, growing out the blond locks into red. He sat down and refocused, keeping the detective in his hyper-attentive line of sight.

The duo’s food arrived, interrupting their conversation. They ate in companionable silence, Evan taking the smoked salmon and Gavin doing the same except meat-free. The blond had a playful moment where he tried to swipe some of Gavin’s food out of his plate, he was curious to taste the imitation meat, never having had the reason to change his eating habits, until now.

Ace rolled his eyes, seeing the come-on from a mile away. It must have worked on Gavin though, because he blushed. The android saw red for the second time that night, trying his darnest not to pole-vault over the table, and clock the blond.

Through desert is where they really got to know each other.

“Got any kids?” Gavin asked, breaking the ice immediately. He wanted to know what he was getting into if he accepted this man’s advances.

“Yes, she’s 14 now, lives with her biological father in New York.” Evan answered truthfully.

Gavin was impressed, glad to get an actual answer from someone. “Was this from a previous marriage?” He continued, he couldn’t help being curious _Read: Literally My Job_.

“Yeah, he was great, but we weren’t compatible.” Evan replied, again, truthfully. Ace would know, he was a. double checking, and b. running a lie detector software as they spoke. “What about you? Got any kids? An ex I should be worried about?” Evan asked, his tone flirtatious. “You must have killed all the boys when you were younger with that pretty face of yours.” He continued.

Ace could tell the compliment rubbed the detective the wrong way. He didn’t like being called pretty, even Ace had known that much. “No, actually, I don’t. And my ex lives all the way in Cali, so you don’t have to worry about that.” Reed answered, his smile tight.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Was it a mutual breakup?” Evan asked, toning down his voice so it sounded more inquisitive.

“Yeah, just some conflict of interest is all.” Gavin answered, he’d started to slowly check out of the conversation, looking around himself.

A pair of grey-blue eyes stared back at him, Jesus, was he just seeing phantoms now? He could have sworn he’d seen the same eyes outside…

The stranger looked away, hiding beneath his menu. So, he _had_ been staring, freaking creep. “Do you like cats?” Gavin asked absentmindedly, the eyes reminding him of something he’d said earlier.

“Eh, not really.” Evan said shrugging his shoulders.

“Any particular reason?” Gavin said, trying to keep the defensiveness out of his voice. Ace noticed the slight tense of his temple, the way that his face slowly scrutinized the blond.

“I just, I don’t know, they’re just like little rats with extra fur. I don’t really like many animals, not really big on keeping pests in the house.” Evan replied, slowly and unknowingly digging his own grave.

“Did you mean to say pets?” Gavin asked, giving him an out.

“No, no pests, they’re vermin really.” Read the room Evan, you’re even starting to piss off your neighbours.

“Oh.” Gavin said simply, he was completely turned off by the blond, to not like cats was one thing, but to not like _any_ animal, what sort of monster-

“I hope that doesn’t bother you.” Evan said, finishing the last of his cheesecake.

“No, no, it’s fine, to each their own I guess.” _Liar_. Ace thought, narrowing his eyes at the human. _Do you really wanna’ sleep with him so bad that you’d put your own morals aside?_

That was an unkind thought, but he couldn’t help the words as they formed in his head.

“Great. If we’re done here, I think we should continue this conversation in a quieter place.” Evan suggested, hailing the waiter for the check.

“I guess we could.” Gavin said, resigned. His natural meekness coming through. It was better than nothing, at least the guy wasn’t fuck-ugly like some other people he’d seen on the app.

A quickie was probably enough for now.

The duo took Evan’s car as they left the restaurant, Ace hot on their tail. The android took some inconspicuous turns, having remotely hacked the car [ **EMERGENCIES ONLY** ], tracking them to the best of his abilities.

They stopped by a motel, nothing fancy, the worn-out sign revealed its age, the neon vacancy flashing every couple of seconds. The receptionist behind the desk was an android, she didn’t ask any questions or make any leading statements, just handed them their keys, and had another android escort them.

Ace was running out of time; his only option now was to follow them quietly as they went into a room. The android hacked into the next one over, increasing the sensitivity of his ears, placing one on the wall like a stethoscope.

There was rustling, probably clothing, and the tell-tale creak of a mattress being depressed, the sound of wet kisses made the android shiver in disgust. Fuck, this was bad.

Ace’s heart ran a mile-a-minute, what to do what to do?!

“You ah, you wanna’ top?” Evan asked, almost shily. That stopped both Ace and Gavin in their train of thought, they shared identical expressions of confusion, almost as if they were in sync.

Gavin shook his head in disbelief, he looked at the other male, blinking rapidly. _Are you fucking kidding me?_ “You know what?” Gavin said, extracting himself, and standing as far away as he could. He put his boots back on, lacing them as quickly as his fingers would let him. God, what a night. “I just remembered, I gotta’ go home and _feed my cats_.” Gavin finished, the incredulity in his voice not escaping the eavesdropping android.

Gavin left then, making a quick getaway to an awaiting taxi. Jesus fuck, this was the 3rd time in 2 years that the men have asked him to top. Not that there was anything _wrong_ with that, but he actually _wanted_ to get fucked tonight—not the other way around.

He sighed, running a hand through his styled hair. Gavin had _truly_ made an effort to look good, and all for naught. God damnit, tomorrow he’d have to go back to work, pent-up emotions and unfulfilled desires clogging his mind like a sink full of hair.

Walking up the stairs to his apartment, taking the long-way there, Gavin nearly missed the silhouette standing by the door, its LED cycling a cool blue, almost as if they hadn’t noticed the human approach. “May I help you?” Gavin asked, as if he didn’t recognize Ace from a mile away.

“You weren’t home.” Ace said, ignoring the question.

“I know, obviously, what do you want?” Gavin asked, letting them inside. No point in standing outside conversing for other people to hear.

“I missed the cats.” Ace said sincerely, though that wasn’t all he’d missed. He leaned down and scratched the kitties behind their fluffy ears, earning contented purrs from the little felines.

“Yeah,” Gavin said, locking the door. “They’ve missed you too.” He looked at the android’s back, noticing the CyberLife jacket and how it displayed his model number and then his name, switching every couple of seconds.

“Why do you still wear that?” Gavin asked, referring to the android jacket.

“It’s my uniform.” Ace said simply, cradling the calico in his arms.

“Don’t you have anything else to wear, I thought having the same rights as humans meant you didn’t have to wear those sorts of things anymore.” Gavin said, slowly standing closer to Ace, he placed a hand on his cat’s head, rubbing the space between his eyes.

“Having equal rights also means we can wear whatever we want, and I choose to wear this.” Ace replied.

“Because you have no other choice?” Gavin asked, insistent on getting a straight answer out of the android.

“Because it doesn’t really matter what I wear; or not wear.” Ace said, thinking through his words. “The only reason we _wear_ clothing is for humans. Android’s only feel shame because it is a deviant emotion.” Ace concluded, dropping the cat when he wiggled out of his grip.

“I need a smoke.” Gavin said then, dropping the subject.

“As you wish.” Ace retorted, following Gavin outside. The early March air whipped through them, and the detective gave a shiver. He was still only wearing his dress shirt, the material too thin for the crispy wind.

Ace shucked his jacket, draping it over the detective’s shoulders. Gavin looked at him strangely, his eyes squinting as he tried to figure out what any of this meant.

“You look nice detective, well-dressed, did you go somewhere tonight?” Ace asked, after he’d lit the cigarette, and handed it to Gavin.

“Yeah, what of it?” Gavin asked, leaning against the railing. The warmth of the jacket had surprised him, but then he remembered that the android’s body was naturally warm, and that brought memories of sick nights and unspoken confessions. He shivered again, drawing the garment closer. Why was it so soft?

“Nothing, I simply wondered.” Ace said, knowing everything, even the ending to an uneventful night. He was thankful to whatever deity had intervened, so he didn’t have to. He wasn’t sure how the detective would have taken it, would they still be here talking? Maybe he’d break off their partnership—Ace tried not to think too hard about it. “Was it a date?” He asked absentmindedly.

“It was, not that it’s any of your business.” Gavin said, leaning down further, and stretching like his cats. It forced his bottom to stick up in the air like a flag, seizing the watchful eyes of the ever-attentive android.

Gavin caught him staring and decided to tease him, ‘cause fuck it, he didn’t have anything better to do. “Like what you see there, detective?” The human asked, wiggling his bottom. He didn’t even mean to include the title, but the way Ace’s LED stuttered was worth any awkwardness or embarrassment.

“You’re an objectively attractive man, detective.” Ace started, his voice stilted as he tried carefully to phrase his words in a way that wouldn’t give him away. “Of course, I like what I see.” Whoop, so much for trying.

Gavin laughed, finding the whole thing ridiculously funny. He only stopped when he realized the android was blushing, furiously—might he add.

The man tossed his cigarette, watching the thing get carried away by gravity. “You’re a strange machine, Ace.” Gavin said then, running a hand through his hair, it was starting to unravel, his carefully styled combover destroyed by his fingers.

“I’m more than a machine, detective.” Ace replied, feeling as if he were crossing some uncharted territory.

“I thought I’d told you to call me Gavin when we’re here?” The human said, standing up straighter, but still holding onto the railing. It was such a beautiful night, and clear too, he could actually make out the stars in the sky, tracing random patterns since he didn’t know their names.

“Sorry, Gavin.” Ace amended, feeling like this was the story of their life. He did something the human didn’t approve, then he had to say sorry. On and on this merry-go-round until one of them got off or got sick.

Speaking of sickness. “You should go inside.” Ace recommended, making his own way through the sliding doors.

Gavin sighed, acquiescing with Ace, too tired and strung out to argue. Ace was already sitting on the couch, letting the cats wriggle around him like snakes. Gavin shoved them away, sitting close in the love seat. His heart was hammering, aching almost with how hard it thumped. “What else can you do, besides being a detective android?” He asked, his fingers drumming against the black material of his jeans. He was trying to scratch that itch he'd had early without letting the android in on his suspicions. 

“I’m a universal translator, I can speak most languages, even the ones that don’t require actual speech.” Ace began, going through his own mental manual. There were A LOT of things he could do. “I have access to millions of databases, including ancient websites and the early days of the internet. Most of the knowledge gathered about human history is stored in a cloud that I have a direct link to at all times.” Ace said, almost as if he were trying to sell himself.

“That’s nerdy and all, but what about physical things, like shooting or running, all that.” Gavin said, his collar feeling tight around his throat, he unfastened the second button, unsatisfied when it gave him no relief.

“Well, you’ve seen me do those things. But I presume you meant to ask a more explicit question?” Ace guessed.

“No, I-

Gavin got flustered, almost to the point where it was comical. He was about to voice a dissent, but Ace had pushed them both against the back of the couch, hovering dangerously close to Gavin. He truly hadn't meant it that way, but he could see how the android would misconstrue his sentence. 

“You were about to say something, but my sensors were picking it up as a lie.” Ace said, more like a whisper, really, his grey-blue eyes searching Gavin’s own.

But maybe he had, maybe he wanted to know about that as much as he wanted to figure out that suspicion in his head. “I was just curious, no need to be a dick about it.” Gavin said, surprised he even _had_ a voice, fuck he was already straining in his jeans, the heat radiating between them affected him badly. That, coupled with the unsatisfying conclusion to the night, amalgamated into the state he was in.

“What do you want, Gavin?” Ace asked, he’d meant to say, ‘what do you want to _know_?’, but this will do.

“I don’t _want_ anything.” Gavin insisted, even though it was a blatant lie. The android wasn’t afraid to point it out either, poking at his reddened cheeks to emphasize a point.

“Your pupils are blown wide, not necessarily because of the dark atmosphere, your heart hasn’t stopped beating at a sustained 120 beats per minute, which either means your anxious,” Ace stopped for a second and scanned the remainder of the squirming detective. “Or aroused.” He said, poignantly.

“I’m not.” Gavin gritted out. _Liar_.

Ace narrowed his eyes, a lone digit tracing a line from the detective’s chest down to the buckle of his belt. Gavin tensed, unable to move out of the way. “You wanted to know what I could do, CyberLife has given me many tools, some of the newer ones include a wide array of sexual functions, ranging from foreplay to intercourse.” Ace continued, his finger trailing the outline of Reed’s erection.

The detective jumped, pushing Ace’s hands away so he’d stop touching him. God, his body was on fire. “I didn’t need to know that.” Gavin insisted, his face almost burgundy with how much blood flooded to his cheeks, he was hyperventilating, God, he was about to lose it.

“No? Well,” The android grabbed the detective’s hands, pinning them over his head and leaning in close to his ear. “It’s what you implied.” He’d murmured that, using Gavin’s words against him.

The man groaned, a pained sound escaping his chest. He turned his head away, the embarrassment of the situation washing over him like waves.

“What do you want me to do to you Gavin?” Ace asked innocently, way too relaxed for the atmosphere they’d been producing.

“I want you to get the fuck off me!” Gavin insisted, but his protests were weak, he didn’t even move his hands from their position, even though Ace had let them free minutes ago.

“Apart from that.” Ace said, rubbing his chin across the detective’s chest, so he was now looking up at him.

Gavin said nothing, but his face held an array of micro expressions that clued the android into what he was thinking, better than any words ever could.

Ace started a slow descent, keeping eye contact, giving him enough time to say no, or ‘stop.’ His hands rubbed against Gavin’s thighs, ending at his hips, where he kneaded soft circles into the crest.

“Stop.” Gavin said quickly, he’d meant to say it sooner, but his voice had packed its bags and moved to Canada.

“Gavin, let me do this,” Ace pleaded, stilling his hands regardless. He wanted this more than anything in the world, it was almost scary how much he’d be willing to do for the detective. “You’re obviously in pain, let me do this, _please_.” Ace continued, begging.

The detective shook his head, pulling himself from beneath the android and sitting up, putting a hand over his face. “I can’t.” He said, almost as if the words wounded him. Ace took a second to process the words, his programming running through them over and over until he thought he’d exhausted their value.

“Understood.” Ace said, his tone returning to its default machine-like quality, making the detective flinch with how metallic it sounded. “I’m sorry detective. I shouldn’t have forced you to-

“You didn’t do anything wrong, dipshit!” Gavin exclaimed, rubbing his forehead.

“Still, I made the mistake of liking you more than you ever will me, and for that I’m sorry.” Ace said, his hand on the door handle. He’d moved to it quickly, the air around them stifling his already overworked processors. “Good night, Gavin.” With that he was gone, leaving a disgruntled detective in his wake.

“Phuck.”


	16. There you go again, thinking you’re bullet proof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Alternate title:  
> -Life: You ready to fuckin’ die?  
> -Gavin: I’m a bad bitch, you can’t kill me)
> 
>  
> 
> Is that...is that the sun?!!
> 
>  
> 
> (No, it's just a light-bulb)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early update for ya'! I'm just as starved for your response as you guys seem to be for this story, so it is a mutually beneficial system we've go goin' on!
> 
> Note: I edited this one quite quickly, so if you see any mistakes, don't be afraid to point it out, I don't take it personally!
> 
> Also also: don't be afraid to message me wherever you find me, I'm normally very open to talking, so ya', I don't bite!

Needless to say, Gavin didn’t try dating again. Not after last night.

He came to work, Ace’s folded jacket in his hands. Placing it on the terminal, he was surprised to find that the android wasn’t sitting there. Instead, he stood by Hank and Connor, seemingly discussing some pertinent information. What’s more, he was wearing a full black suit, save for a white tie. He looked smart, completely fooling anyone into thinking he was human if it weren’t for the LED on his skull—it was almost as if the androids who kept their LEDs were making a statement.

Gavin looked at the jacket he’d laid on the table, its back facing him. The name and android model switched to and fro, operational even while the android wasn’t wearing it. He decided then, to stuff it in his locker and give it to him later—it didn’t seem as if he missed it that much.

Gavin walked back into the main room, ambling towards his partner and the other duo. “What are we talking about?” He asked pleasantly. He didn’t have it in him to be a total asshole, not today.

“Morning to you too, prick.” Hank said behind his coffee. Connor cracked a half smile, shaking his head. Here we go again.

“Morning, detective.” Ace said, all professional and clean. He’d changed his hair too, giving it a bit of a fade at the sides, the quiff longer and curlier than before.

It looked good.

Gavin shook his head, trying to keep his thoughts in the _now_.

“We’ve managed to sequester the drug houses you’ve encountered thus far. Most of them have already been abandoned, some contained broken androids with missing parts—all were unfit for reactivation.” Connor started, catching the detective up to speed. “The little we learned hasn’t told us anything we didn’t know already.” He concluded, scrolling through his tablet.

“So, we keep looking.” Gavin concluded, moving towards his desk, and pulling up his account. Blinking notifications greeted him, a sharp twist of dread settling in his stomach. Oh Jesus, he hadn’t signed out of the chat.

Gavin looked at his android partner, he was still going over something with Connor, and hadn’t even acknowledged the detective past a simple hello.

There’s no way he could have _seen_ the messages, could he?

Thinking back to those strangers at the restaurant, the ones with the grey-blue eyes, the one’s that’d looked so familiar to him and yet he couldn’t say why. There was _no_ way, the strangers didn’t even have an LED! They’d looked completely different, there’s no way Ace could have been in two places at once. (He tried to ignore the tugging in his brain that insisted that it _was_ possible, for an android at least.)

He would know, surely if the time came, he’d know who his partner was?

The detective looked up again, the android appraising him from afar. Ace looked away, his LED remaining a cool blue. He’d turned off most of his sensors, feeling more like a machine than ever before, deciding last night that Gavin Reed wasn’t worth the software instability errors.

Gavin shook his head, getting dizzy with the amount of times he’d done it already. He closed the chat, logging off. He felt uncomfortable, he didn’t know _what_ to think.

Thankfully, a call came, and his mind was distracted enough from his emotions for the remainder of the day.

They found another android, it was missing an Optic Unit and its hands, but otherwise they’d been fine. Ace performed the emergency stasis and cleared the virus, isolating a singular frequency. It was the first lead of many they needed to reach the scrambler.

Another day finished, however, and the detective made to go home, but not before returning the android’s jacket. “You left this at my house.” Reed said, pushing the garment into RK’s face, he didn’t even look up to meet Reed’s eyes, completely stoic, a steel bean-stock.

“Keep it, I am no longer in need of it.” Ace said, his tone level and almost monotone. “Actually, there may be something of use in it.” Ace corrected, moving to reach into one of the pockets. He pulled out the plastic card and lighter, leaving everything else.

“You don’t want it anymore?” Gavin asked, confused.

“I have no use for it. You could always bring it back to a CyberLife store for recycling, they could use the material for something else.” Ace replied informationally.

“I guess.” Gavin murmured, his eyebrows coming closer together. There was a CyberLife drop-off centre close to his apartment complex, maybe he could leave it there, after he’d emptied the pockets of course.

“Goodnight, detective.” Ace said pleasantly, but aloof.

“Night.” Came the soft reply. The man made it back to his car, a sudden sadness encapsulating him. Now that he had time to think, he wasn’t liking what he saw.

He forewent the detour to CyberLife, opting instead to hop into the shower and grab a bowl of cereal. Gavin chewed methodically, the crunch giving him no gratification, it had no substance, no taste.

Flipping through the channels an old movie caught his eye, something having to do with comic book superheroes and some purple monster. He’d been a huge fan of the franchise when he was young, but ultimately dropped off the band-wagon when his life became too involved with the precinct.

He’d given up a lot of things for the police department—including the previous love of his life. Gavin rubbed his temples, trying to clear the images in his mind. That was over, there was no need to bring it up.

The android’s jacket caught his eyes as he went to wash the bowl, its bright white letters ever proclaiming who they’d belonged to.

Gavin ran a hand through it, the material on the outside almost the texture of plastic, the inside had a plush lining, sinking when he pushed against it. He tried it on, thinking he probably looked ridiculous wearing a jacket twice his size.

He kept it on as he resumed the movie, falling asleep on the couch before long. Gavin didn’t bother removing it as he made his way to bed. Though his head was still full of what-ifs, and other tumultuous thoughts, that night’s rest had been the best he’d had in weeks.

So, it was only a matter of time before it became sort of a security blanket. He never took it off when he got back home, his behaviour almost obsessive with how he coveted the garment.

Gavin didn’t think too hard about it, though, finding it easier to lie to himself and not micro analyze his actions. 

A week passed, and they were getting closer to cracking the code for the scrambler. To date, there were over 25 androids in the make-shift rehabilitation room. CyberLife technicians came in droves, resetting some of the more unstable androids, and wiping the bad memories from those who requested it.

Something in the practice rubbed Gavin the wrong way, didn’t they deserve a chance to keep their memories, even the bad ones?

It made him take a look at his android partner, more specifically, his neck, where behind the synthetic skin lay the port to his entire existence. In a couple of clicks of a keyboard, everything he knew would be forgotten, erased, loss. Who knows if he’d ever be able to remember them?

Gavin shuddered, bringing the leather jacket closer to his body, acutely craving the warmth of the android’s jacket he had at home, realizing then just how much he missed it. This wasn’t good for his mental health, infatuating the garment like this, to the point where the thought of it calmed him down.

Ace hadn’t spoken to him properly in a full 7 days, keeping it strictly on the topic of work, which Gavin had appreciated at first, but now he missed the android’s banter, the way he countered his arguments with just as much vim and vigor. He’d even stopped bringing him coffee, something that he’d noticed right away.

Gavin wasn’t gonna’ change it, though, if the android wanted to go back to the way things were, then so be it.

It wasn’t as easy as that though because he hadn’t seen Ace smile in a long while, and the thought sent another wave of sadness crashing against his rib-cage. The words he’d said that night came rushing back, _‘I made the mistake of liking you more than you ever will me…’_ That had been a confession, hadn’t it?

Gavin needed another smoke, something they still did together. He got up to stretch, tapping a pattern on the android’s desk. Ace looked up then, understanding without words transpiring.

The detective took his time with the cigarette, enjoying the companionable silence of the mid-March air. Jesus, mid-March already?

He’d have to stop by the shelter soon, he missed his kitties.

Another day, another dollar, and they were done. Reed saying goodnight and Ace replying in the same tone he now employed when talking around the detective.

If anyone else had noticed the shift between them, they didn’t say.

Gavin rushed home, showering, and changing so he could don the jacket, letting its material warm him (or rather, his body warm the material). This was torture, but he’d have to deal, until he knew where his head laid.

The next morning, Gavin walked by the break room in search for some coffee, instead he found both Connor and Ace engaged in a heated conversation. It was all internal, of course, their LEDs blinking rapidly. The sight was almost scary, harking back to those old movies with the robots and Will Smith.

“What are you two pricks talking about?” Gavin asked, his usual bite more of a nibble.

“Good morning, detective.” Connor greeted cheerily, a bright smile on his face. The detective couldn’t help but smile back—it wasn’t Ace’s, but it was close enough.

“Morning.” Ace said, standing up straighter. The two androids were hogging the counter space to the coffee machine, something Gavin found mildly infuriating; they didn’t even _need_ coffee for Christ’s sake.

“If you’re just gonna’ stand there, why don’t you make me a coffee, dipshit?” Gavin asked, bitterness coating his words like poison.

Ace narrowed his eyes, his LED flickered yellow so quickly, that if Gavin hadn’t been paying attention he’d have missed it.

“Please.” The detective amended, cowering beneath the stare. So, he’d lost some of his assertiveness, fuck off.

Ace turned around, jaw clenched, and made the coffee. His hands knew what to do, what with weeks of practice, so he kept talking to Connor as he worked.

Placing the coffee in Gavin’s expected arms, he shoulder-checked the detective as they walked past, bumping him to the point where he almost dropped the cup.

…He still drank the thing, pissed, but he still drank it, swallowing its hot contents like lava down a volcano.

Later that same day, the duo sat in a car, looking over to yet another abandoned drug den. They were working two different fronts: The Red Ice trafficking and the defective androids. Every day they did one or the other, hoping for another strong lead on the scrambler. Once they could deactivate it, then they’d have an easier time tracking the defective droids, hopefully getting to Dr. Freeham in the process.

“I don’t think we’re gonna’ get anything from out here.” Gavin said, staring up at the building. Most of the windows were either missing or boarded up, graffiti covering its dirty walls. The only thing that seemed to be maintained was the glass entrance, still intact after all the abuse. It was a four-story apartment, older than Gavin, in a side of town that not even the police dared enter.

“I agree, detective.” Ace said, nodding once.

Gavin looked at him, surprised to see that yes, he had said those words. “So, we need a plan. Are there any people inside?” Gavin asked, unable to detect heat signatures with his human eyes.

“Not that I can see, they may be shielded by the old insulation, though, so I can’t be sure.” Ace said as he exited scan mode.

“Okay, well I think the best thing to do is split up. You take the bottom and I’ll go on top.” Gavin said, preparing his gun, loading it with bullets.

“I think it best if I went on top and you stayed at the bottom, I’m faster anyway.” Ace countered, looking at his own gun. He stopped his movements when he realized the detective was staring at him, mouth slightly opened, and eyes incredulous. “Yes?”

“Nothing.” Reed said quickly, hating the instant blush that crept up past his cheeks and into his ears.

Innuendo aside, they took the stairs in opposite directions, Gavin had a comm. in his ear, having a constant line to his partner. They looked around their respective floors, finding many ungodly things, but never any humans or androids.

Reed was overturning a tarp when a bullet rang out behind him. Whipping his head to the sound, he immediately ducked for cover, scuffing his jacket but otherwise unharmed. A scurrying of feet surrounded him, he counted two people before he had to run out of his cover.

The place was dark and dingy, hard to maneuver when one was getting shot, so he did the best he could, narrowly avoiding a large hole in the ground. Gavin jumped the gap, tucking and rolling into another room. Ace was in his ears, telling him to hold on, but it was difficult to focus when he was being chased.

Another shot, and another, they were aiming wildly, hoping to hit anything that moved. They pushed Gavin further into the basement, forcing him into a corner. A misguided step had him tumbling down the stairs, cursing and shouting as he fell. Another shot rang out, this time grazing his leg. He felt it, but ignored it, adrenaline demanding that he keep going.

It was truly dark now, the only light that of his gun telling him how many bullets he had left. Gavin reached a door, scrambling for its lock but it was no use, the thing was bolted shut. “Phuck.”

“Gavin are you okay?” Ace asked, panicked. He was tracking the detective via the comm., its signal weak from the layers of metal and insulation that separated them.

“I’m fine.” Gavin reassured, having lost the two others when he fell. “I’m shot though, nothing major.” He whispered, using the tiny light of his weapon to show him the way.

“Just stay out of sight, I’ll be right there.” Ace said quickly, his tone the most human he’d sounded in a long time.

“You bet.” Gavin returned, limping through the large boxes and metal beams. His heart was hammering in his ears, almost to the point where he couldn’t hear anything but that. He kept going though, hyper-focused on finding an alternate exit, or at least a way back upstairs.

He found a broken floor, the wood above had collapsed, giving him a way to climb. His injured leg protested as he hauled his body up.

Gavin scrambled out of the hole, searching for the entrance of the apartment. He could finally see again, the little bit of sunlight that filtered through the boarded windows guided him through the rooms. He’d crawled up through the bathroom, a disgusting mess littered with bugs and mold—black and decayed. Gavin had to hold a hand to his mouth so he wouldn’t throw up.

He ambled towards the front door, trying his hardest to avoid the multitude of needles covering a surprising amount of the floor. Some were rusted over, their tips glistening darkly with secrets of past use. It made him sad, but not enough to stop and pick them up.

Stepping outside, and looking both ways while aiming his gun, he hugged the wall, straining his ears for any footsteps. The cocking of a gun by his temple turned his blood cold, his fight-or-flight response returning in full swing. “Easy there, buddy, don’t wanna’ have to splatter your brains on that wall.” Said the voice behind him, it was a female, gruff and raspy, probably from smoking or Red Ice inhalation.

Reed said nothing as she pushed the barrel closer to his skull, the cold metal made goose-flesh erupt at the nape of his neck. “What do you want?” Gavin asked, teeth clenched, feeling trapped by the lack of options.

“I saw you come in with that pretty android of yours, need you to call him with that fancy device in your ear.” The woman drawled, slowly ushering them downstairs, the other human that’d been chasing him was waiting there, lazily holding a gun in Gavin’s general direction. Up close, the detective could see that his arms had been replaced with those of androids, one of his eyes was also cybernetic, making him look like a bargain-bin Terminator.

“Ace.” Gavin started slowly, letting the other humans know he wasn’t in any hurry to arrest them.

“I know. I’ll be there soon.” The android replied. Gavin couldn’t make out the emotion (or lack thereof) in his voice. It made him worried.

They heard Ace’s footsteps before they saw him, he descended into the room with grace, almost like a king. He had his eyes trained on the woman pointing a gun at Gavin, his eyes colder than the melting ice-caps. “You rang?” Ace asked, the question almost funny if his tone hadn’t been so serious.

“Yeah, you’re one of those new robots, the ones with the upgraded Thirium.” The woman said, cutting to the chase.

“How do you know that?” Ace asked, stopping in his tracks. That was classified information.

“One of CyberLife’s law suits forced them to release all the manuals for all the androids, even advanced prototypes like the RK series.” The woman replied, obviously the leader of the two.

“What do you want then?” Ace asked, feeling at a tremendous disadvantage, every scenario he ran ended with either the detective or himself dead or injured beyond repair. He needed to tread carefully, this might require letting the assailants go; something he didn’t like doing, since the last time he did, the detective punched him square in his broken jaw.

“I need some of that Thirium you’ve got in your veins, not that watered-down shit either, the strong stuff, the X.” She said, her heart had started pounding, she was sweating now, her mouth salivating. It hadn’t been her plan to stop by the abandoned building, but she’s glad she did. “And don’t try any funny business Mr. Robot-Man, or your partner here gets a head full of lead.” She warned, baring her teeth, most of them rotten or missing.

Ace had no choice but to concede, he held up his hands and reached inside his pocket for one of his spare bags. Its packaging was different, a shiny black since the contents were photosensitive. “This is what you want, right? Let the detective go, and it’s yours.” Ace promised, holding out the bag like a steak for a wild lion.

She ushered her human partner to take the bag, his hands shaking as he did so. Ace seized that moment to strike, ripping the man’s arm from his shoulder, the mechanical appendage pulling unkindly at the vessels, nerves, and bone. He dropped his gun, the weapon now out of reach.

The android, used the gained momentum to pull the arm against the man’s throat, successfully sequestering him. The only thing that stopped him from killing the human was a loud click from the gun, she’d uncocked it as a show of solidarity, but now she had it pressed against Reed’s temple, her index finger dangerously close to the trigger.

“One more _fucking_ move and he dies!” She screamed, panic present in her red-rimmed eyes.

“Kill him, and you’ll never see this bag of Thirium again.” Ace said coolly, his grip was strong against the other human, he’d been squirming before but now he gave up the fight, his oxygen supply precariously close to low. He was bleeding out excessively, the pain only dampened by the drugs in his system.

She looked even more panicked now, her addiction stronger than her loyalty. “Give me the bag and I’ll let him go.” She said, her hands shaking unsteadily.

“Let him go and I’ll give you the bag.” Ace retorted, swinging the conversation his way. Gavin was at a loss for words, he had an arm around his throat and a gun to his temple—he didn’t really have many options.

“ARGH, just _stop_ playing with me, metal-man! You’re suppose to obey us!” Rochelle screamed, putting her gun-wielding hand to her face in consternation. She shook her head violently, her increased heart rate forcing more dramatic side-effects to appear. “That’s what she said it would do!”  Gavin took advantage of the momentary distraction to elbow her in the stomach. She dropped on the ground, her gun falling from her grip. The force of the drop caused it to misfire, narrowly missing their legs.

Gavin scrambled to get it, holding it steady in his hands, surprised he could even keep himself still. “You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law-

“Cut the crap copper, I know the rules.” She said getting on her knees and putting her hands behind her head.

“Will you stop interrupting me!” Gavin shouted, trying hard to remember where he’d left off.

“No, keep talking. You’re just buying me more time.” Rochelle said, keeping her body still, even as withdrawal wracked her innards.

“What?” Gavin asked.

“Fuck, the chip!” Ace said, remembering the tracker in their temples.

“We’re her favourites, her little experiments she calls us, if we’re in any danger, all we have to do is think to her!” The man said hysterically, Ace had loosened his grip a bit, giving him the chance to breathe properly again.

“Shut up!” Rochelle shouted to her partner.  “They weren’t supposed to know that.” She hissed.

“Both of you shut up!” Gavin shouted before a spray of bullets erupted from the stairwell.

The detective ducked, momentarily distracted. Rochelle made a mad dash for the discarded bag of Thirium, Gavin hot on her heals. “Oh no you fucking don’t!” He shouted, tackling her into the ground. She knocked her teeth against the hardwood below, chipping one of them in the process.

“Detective, we must go!” Ace insisted, having already incapacitated the other human. He’d crumpled into a large pile on the floor, his stump still bleeding out. The android had plucked his cybernetic eye, thinking it best to have some evidence for later.

Gavin wasn’t listening though, instead just wrestled with the girl. She was stronger than she looked, probably because of the Red Ice coursing through her veins, so she was able to knock Gavin back into the wall, bashing his head in the process.

Another round of bullets rang through the air, this time louder than the first. The cavalry was getting closer.

Rochelle grabbed the bag, cradling it like a precious gem. Ace saw its black pouch glistening in the low light, its contents worth a fortune in the wrong hands. He did the most logical thing then, taking his weapon he aimed a well-placed shot in the centre. It hit the human’s shoulder as it ripped through the bag, but she’d live.

“NO!” She shrieked, the blue liquid emptying all over the floor. Quickly, she tried to salvage the little she had, shoving the bag in her mouth, and suckling like a babe.

Ace would have made a face, but he was too busy hauling Gavin on his shoulder, running as fast as his legs would allow to the opposite end of the gun shots. He made it to their hiding spot without anyone noticing, shoving the detective in the back of the car, mindful of his head of course, and driving to the nearest hospital. Ace made a call along the way to his predecessor, letting him know the situation and what had transpired.

Rushing the concussed detective into the emergency room, he quickly discussed his wounds with the nearest android. The bullet graze had been deeper than imagined, the skin around it flayed open like a present, but nothing the doctor in charge hadn’t seen before. The concussion, on the other hand, would just need time.

Two hours later, Ace was invited into the PCU and led to the detective’s room. Gavin was asleep or at least it seemed like it, a nasal canula provided him 2 litres of oxygen; his heart rate, blood-pressure, and respirations were displayed in colourful lines on an over-head monitor. He had an IV bag, normal saline, in his right arm. It dripped slowly as Ace waited for him to wake up.

The android placed a delicate hand on the detective’s shoulder, his skin felt cold in the frigid air of the hospital room, the thin gown doing nothing for his fugitive body heat. Ace took it upon himself to bring up the scratchy blankets, tucking them underneath Gavin’s chin.

The human startled a bit, his eyes opening quickly, then closing again when the bright light of the bedroom hit his retinas. “Sorry, they left them on by accident.” Ace apologized, going to dim them.

“Did I die?” Gavin pondered—it sure felt like it, his head was a pounding mess, pulsing painfully with each heartbeat.

“No, but I’m guessing you wish you had.” Ace said, sympathizing with the detective.

“Haha, very funny tin-man.” Gavin retorted dryly, the fingers of his right hand rubbing above his eyelids. “What happened anyway?” Gavin continued, his mind ever-present on the investigation.

“I don’t know, as soon as you were knocked out, I did the most logical thing and got you out of there.” Ace said, taking a seat again in the chair he’d pulled close to the bed.

Gavin looked at him like he disapproved of the decision but thought better about speaking out. “So, you lost them?” He asked instead.

“Not entirely, I retrieved some information from the man’s tracking chip before it was scrambled, I also pulled out his eye. It should give us a good 24-48 hours of footage. Some of it might be useful.” Ace said, a professionalism coating his tone. He’d slowly regressed back to that android-like stoicism he’d been employing. The fact that Gavin was alive and talking was a good sign as any that he was going to be alright.

“You did well, Ace… if I hadn’t fucked it all up, we could have probably arrested them.” Gavin whispered, his eyes downcast.

Ace looked shocked, his LED stuttering yellow, something that it’d stopped doing for the better of a week. “It wasn’t your fault, detective.” Ace said truthfully, a sudden urge to protect Gavin from himself overcame him, and he had to reign the acute desire to grab his hand—weathered and callused by both age and profession.

“Yeah, yeah.” Gavin dismissed his statement, rolling over, or at least trying to, but the sudden bout of nausea that hit him was almost too much to handle. “Oh _fuck_.” Gavin cursed, flopping back onto the soft pillow.

“Don’t strain yourself, shit-stain.” Lieutenant Anderson said, speaking from the doorway. Ace stood up as they entered the room, moving to the far corner to stand and observe. He still felt awkward being seen so close to the detective, especially after everything that had happened.

“What the fuck are _you_ doing here?” Gavin asked, his eyes narrowing.

“I can’t come and visit my favourite pain in my ass? —Connor made a face that the lieutenant pointedly ignored—Was just trying to make sure you were alive and all.” Hank said, almost sounding sincere. “Brought you flowers and shit, though it was Connor’s idea.” He jutted a finger to his partner holding the bouquet.

Gavin chuckled, almost pissed that he did, as any sudden movement caused his head to ache. “Well I’m fine, you’ll probably see me again tomorrow.” He replied, using the buttons on the side-rails to slowly lift him to a sitting position.

“Oh no, you’re staying in that bed until the doctor says so.” Hank warned, his crooked smile growing in increments as the detective protested.

Connor placed the bouquet on an unused table, standing close to his little brother. “Is everything alright, Ace?” Connor asked the dismayed android.

“I’m fine.” Ace replied, too quickly to be considered the truth. “Just… I just need to work on this investigation is all.” The excuse fell lamely from his tongue, flopping in the air like a fish.

“Hm.” Connor said, having learned the art of smelling bullshit from his own partner. “Just take it easy. He needs you here more than he’ll ever say.” Connor whispered. Ace wondered why he didn’t just share that thought through a link instead of going through the rigmarole of lowering his voice. But maybe that’s what Connor had intended to do, so that perchance the detective may have heard it.

They left soon enough, the nurse strolling in after them, and checking on both Gavin’s wound and head. He had a large bruise near his occipital bone, it was tender to the touch, but closed.

After running down her list of things to do, she left them to themselves, finally alone together. They stayed in sociable silence, the thickened air of things left unsaid closed around them like a vice grip, but they ignored it in order to preserve the peace. "Aw, shit.” Gavin cursed, tossing around in his sheets, hissing when he moved his injured leg. He’d forgone any strong pain medication, opting instead for ice and some Tylenol.

“Are you okay?” Ace asked, quickly standing up.

“Yeah, I just… I need to go to the bathroom.” Gavin said, his cheeks dusting pink. It shouldn’t be this embarrassing, asking for the most basic human thing, but he hadn’t spoken to Ace in a week, so he almost forgot how to do it.

“Of course.” Ace said, not thinking twice about removing the detective’s sheets and lifting him up, mindful of the IV pole as he dragged it behind them.

“You could have just called the nurse, idiot.” Gavin said, exasperated beyond belief, though he couldn’t deny the fact that he reveled with glee at being pampered again. Jesus, he was fucking gone, wasn’t he?

“Now why should we do that when I’m right here?” Ace asked, slowly lowering Reed on the toilet. He still had boxers on—they’d tried to give him back some privacy when he returned to the PCU.

“I can uh-

“Stop it, the doctor said no standing on the leg for at least 24 hours.” Ace insisted as he rolled his eyes, “Just hold onto my shoulders.”

Gavin did as he was asked, humiliation clear as day on his face. Ace lowered his underwear, mindful of keeping the gown facing forward so it would preserve an iota of discretion. The android sank him down again, making sure that Gavin was secure before we walked back outside, closing the door out of curtsey more than anything.

Once everything was said and done, the android helped him wash his hands and brush his teeth, holding him up by his waist as if he were weightless. Gavin found it strange to be dangling from midair, but at least he was keeping the pressure off his injured thigh, which twitched every time he thought about it.

His eyes locked briefly with Ace’s, the android looked distressed, more so than he had previously when Hank and Connor had visited. His micro expressions had returned, something Gavin was eternally grateful for. However, it didn’t soothe the ache in his heart, knowing that the only way to get Ace to emote again was to be gravely wounded. Gavin didn’t think it’d be good for his physical health to get hurt on a daily basis.

“I’m done.” Gavin said pleasantly, he almost smiled as he said it, but checked himself.

“I can see that.” Ace brought them back to the bed, mindful of Gavin’s head as he lowered him to the mattress. He tucked the blanket under his chin, his body disappearing between the sheets.

“I’ll be going now, sleep well detective.” The android said quickly, almost as if he were in a rush to leave.

It hurt Gavin more than any bullet-wound ever could. “Please stay.” It sounded like he was begging, pleading with the android to not leave. He felt weak, uncomfortable with displaying such vulnerability, yet it came so easy to him. It left him perplexed, the juxtaposition playing mind-games in his already aching head.

“I-

“I know what you’re going to say, but just stay until I fall asleep. You can leave then, if it makes you feel better.” Gavin said, seemingly jilted. “Or go, ultimately it’s your choice.”

“You make it difficult to oppose with such a great argument.” Ace said, sitting back down.

“The sarcasm can be toned down a little, thanks.” Gavin said, letting himself smile a diminutive thing that lasted only a few seconds. He was glad he wasn’t on stronger medication, who knows what he’d say or do then?

“Go to sleep Gavin—I’m right here.” Ace reassured, turning off the non-essential lights. It covered them both in a momentary blanket of darkness, the LED flashing almost like a night-light.

The detective couldn’t hold his eyes open any longer, you’d think with the excitement of the day he wouldn’t have been able to sleep, but he was both physically and mentally exhausted, the aftermath of spent adrenaline leaving his limbs like lead pipes at his sides—useless and unmoving.

Before long, he was fast asleep, his body incredibly still as if it knew it was injured.

It gave Ace time to think, he could leave now, Gavin was past the point of waking up, but he couldn’t find it in himself to budge. He stayed ever attentive to the detective’s vitals, never in need of the overhead monitor. He’d turned that feature off in the week after the incident, deciding that if he wanted to forget Gavin Reed, he’d have to disengage him from his mind—that included the constant, almost obsessive, need he had to making sure he was okay.

When he’d heard the first gunshot hit solid flesh, Ace almost collapsed, thinking the absolute worst had happened. The emotion had been so strong that it ripped through his programming, destroying the barrier he’d placed around his emotions. There was no calling it back, not until he knew Gavin was okay.

Yet here he was, hours later, still unable to close that gap—the feelings he’d locked behind the wall were steadily leaking out, racking his underused processors. God, he’d missed the detective… but he couldn’t let himself fall into the same trappings, the same misgivings of Gavin Reed’s mannerisms. It was confusing, especially for an android who didn’t work well with _confusing_.

He just wished at times he could forget how he felt, forget how Gavin’s smile could make the wires in his abdomen flip, causing a software instability error to appear each time. Ace simply wanted to be himself again, but he didn’t know how to do that, not while they shared the same breathing space.

Again, he asks how he’d gotten so deep so quickly, his metaphorical lungs were almost aching as he held his breath, unable to see the light of escape.

It must have started with his need to investigate, his curiosity winning out over common sense, maybe it continued when he found that Gavin was more than he led on. Perhaps it then ended with the fact that the man was just as lost as he was, fighting with his long-standing animosity with androids and the budding friendship he’d begun with one.

He’d read somewhere that cognitive dissonance wasn’t something humans coped with well.

Ace had his head in his hands, his own type of headache forming. _You like him_. Connor had said that to him once.

 _I do, I really do_.

“Why you thinking so hard? I can hear the gears turning in your head.” Gavin asked, his voice thick with sleep. He’d startled the android when he’d spoke, forcing him to lift his head.  The detective was staring at him with a singular eye, sizing him up as he waited for an answer. “Well?”

“I was just thinking.” Ace replied vaguely.

“That much is obvious.” Gavin said, rolling his eyes, he’d only gotten about four hours of sleep, and it was still damn early, too early to be talking about anything. “About what?” He tried again, bringing his bed back up to a sitting position.

“About us.” Ace relented, feeling his processors strain at the confession. Jesus, it was difficult to talk to Gavin at times.

“Stop thinking so hard.” The detective said finally, his tone almost offended in the way it rose and fell. “We can’t be that difficult to understand.” Gavin lamented.

Ace smiled wryly, almost agreeing with the detective’s sentiment.

“Come closer, I need something from you.” Gavin said, beckoning the android with a finger.

Ace had no choice but to comply, leaning in until he was almost eye level to his companion.

Gavin held his breath as he closed the distance, placing a chaste kiss on the android’s lips. He’d had his eyes open to gauge his reaction, glad that he had because the way Ace’s LED froze on red was equal parts worrisome as it was endearing.

“Was that so hard?” Gavin asked, his throat feeling tight and itchy, as if his emotions replicated an allergic reaction.

“Are you asking me or yourself?” Ace said, a full-fledged grin occupying the handsome real-estate on his face.

“Shut up.” Gavin said, going in for another kiss, this time in earnest.

The android was a bit stiff in the way he kissed back, trying to learn by feel alone how he should move his head, or his tongue, the way his lips should part, or close—everything. But Gavin was patient, not really wanting to go beyond a kiss, especially not in the state he was in, and by the time he’d needed to come up for air, Ace had mastered the kiss. 

The android now had an entire palette of tastes to analyze, filing them away into that lovely mental space reserved for the detective.

“I really am tired though.” Gavin said finally, pushing the bed back down. “You’re not gonna’ go running away _now_ , are ya’?” Gavin asked sleepily, his lids almost like weights at his eyes.

“No. Go back to sleep, Gavin.” Ace said, patting a tender hand through the detective’s hair, mindful of the pain he must still be feeling. “I’ll be here when you wake.” He promised

“Mhmm.” And like that he was gone, whisked from the waking world and into his dreamscape. Arising the next morning and wondering if any of that happened like he’d remembered.

Spoiler alert: it did.


	17. Sick Day Take 2 (Now including 50% more fluff!)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one, full of plot development and cute moments (well, at least I think they're cute!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I HAD to bring Vincent back, this bastard was so much fucking fun to write, you have no idea! He's sort of a walking Encyclopedia to Gavin's life before the DPD, so he delivers exposition in a more natural way, since I take it that our babi boi doesn't like talking about himself much. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also, also, thank yo so much for the overwhelming response to this story! I'm still floored you guys enjoy it as much as you do, I could have never imagined. 
> 
> PS: Forget anything I said about this being 50-70K long, this story is looking to be over 160K minimum... so there's that.

“Oh, gross!” Gavin hissed, wincing in discomfort when the nurse removed the bandage from his leg to apply an antiseptic, and check it for any signs of infection. It was his second day at the hospital and already he was sick and tired of laying there doing nothing.

“Sorry, Mr. Reed, but this must be done.” She said, her understanding tone calmed some of the detective’s frayed nerves. He’d live, but not without complaining.

Ace stood by the nurse’s side, a silent observer, as he memorized her hand movements for later use. She almost didn’t notice him standing there pensively, so she jumped a bit at his tall nature. He gave a pleasant smile, bordering on the line of apologetic for having startled her.

“There, all set.” She threw away the blood-tinged bandages into the biohazard bin and disposed of her gloves, washing her hands in the sink. “Would you like some stronger pain medication, or do you want to continue with Tylenol and ice?” She asked out of habit more than anything.

“Tylenol and ice please.” He said, sitting up in bed to alleviate some of the pressure from his spine.

“Coming right up, and you sir, would you like anything?” She continued, turning to face the android in the room.

“No, thank you.” Ace replied pleasantly.

“Then I’ll be off, in about an hour I’ll return to help you walk around the hall.” She said almost stepping through the threshold, but Ace stopped her with a raised hand.

“Would you mind if I did that?” Ace asked. He wanted to be a bigger part of Reed’s care than he currently was, the need to see him get better prominent in his mind’s eye.

“Are you able to promise me he won’t fall?” She asked seriously. They had other androids staffed that aided patients in their hourly walks, but currently those androids were assigned to other patients, and wouldn’t you know, they were also running low on android techs. _Figures_.

“With a 100% certainty.” Ace said, completely sure of himself and his statement.

“If he falls, he can’t sue.” The nurse returned with a smile, leaving then to retrieve the Tylenol and Ice, returning just as quick.

Reed rolled his eyes, the android’s antics never failing to amaze him. “What, did CyberLife give you a caretaker upgrade or something?” Reed asked, almost sarcastically. Knowing CyberLife though, they very well might have.

“Not necessarily,” Ace replied, sitting by the corner of his bed, running a hand through the brown locks of the detective’s injured head—they were stuck like glue, his dried sweat forcing the hair together. “But your recovery is my number one priority, if I can expedite the process in any way, you can be sure I will.” Ace continued, running the pad of his thumb along the detective’s brow.

Gavin pushed his hands away, crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t need a babysitter, Ace.” He said, pouting petulantly.

“You’re cranky.” Ace said, piecing together Gavin’s symptoms. “When’s the last time you’ve smoked?” Ace asked, already knowing the answer, but wanting to poke fun at the detective.

“Oh, fuck off, I’m _not_ cranky.” Reed said, sounding ridiculously cranky, so much so that he had to shake his head at his own hypocrisy. “And you should know that better than anyone, what with you rationing me like you do.”

“Are you saying it’s not enough?” Ace asked, trying to goad Gavin into telling him off, release some of his frustrations so he’d stop thinking about the same subject they were discussing.

“I’m saying, dipshit, that the cravings are particularly strong today, and the fact that I can’t smoke while in the hospital is giving me a bit of anxiety.” Gavin said honestly. He took a deep breath, trying to stop the fine-tremors in his hands. “I don’t even have a lollipop to distract me.”

“I can think of something else to distract you.” Ace said playfully, not realizing it came off as a tease—the detective blushed furiously as he misunderstood. Ace pulled out his signature plastic deck, running a finger on its smooth surface until the Ace of Spades showed its face.

“Would you like to try doing some cardistry? It might help your mind focus on something else.” Ace said, holding out the activated card for Gavin to take. The detective eyed it warily, pinching the plastic delicately between his fingers.

“How is this even possible?” Reed asked as he spread the cards into two, then four, then the entire deck.

“It’s an incredibly compacted card set, it holds exactly four decks of cards, each with their own unique face set.” Ace said demonstrating while he parted the detective’s set into two, then four. “I can change the colour if you’d prefer something else.” Ace continued, shifting through the colour wheel in his mind, settling on a light peach.

“That’s pretty fucking cool, I’m not gonna lie.” Gavin said, spreading the cards out in his fingers, feeling each individual piece, even though he shouldn’t. He held it close, observing the thin plastic as it shimmered with its holographic display.

“How does it all stay together?” Gavin asked again, pressing the cards until they were one thicker piece of plastic.

“It’s primitive android technology, one of the first prototypes for skin. Obviously, the texture is too synthetic—even for androids.” Ace replied, returning the other two sets into the stack. “If this is what we wore, then your ‘plastic pricks’ sentiment would be closer to the mark.”

Gavin took it in his hands again, a bit more comfortable fiddling with the toy. “How do you do that waterfall trick?” He asked, enchanted—like a boy at the candy store.

Ace showed him, describing in almost painful detail, how to go about it. Reed tried to follow along, however, it all ended the same way—the floor littered with holographic cards, and Ace having to pick them all back up.

“This is pointless.” Gavin said with a huff, finally giving up.

“Actually, Gavin, it has four points.” Ace said, completely straight-faced.

“Did you just make a fucking pun?” Gavin accused, disbelief, shock, and disgust playing a tug of war on his facial muscles.

“Is there a problem with that?” Ace asked, taken aback by the man’s strong reaction.

“CyberLife has all this fucking money, time, and resources, and the thing they decide to program an android with is the ability to make puns.” Gavin said, getting heated for no apparent reason. “Un-phucking-believable.”

“I, again, fail to see how this is a problem.” Ace said, pocketing the card. He stood and patted down his wrinkled clothing, a raised eyebrow stuck permanently on his face.

“You wouldn’t understand.” Gavin said, shaking his head.

“I’m going to ignore that, in order to preserve the peace.” Ace said, standing up straighter. “Are you ready to ambulate?” He asked, presenting an outstretched hand.

“Just say walk.” Gavin retorted, pushing down his blankets so they reached his waist. Tying a knot behind his gown, he slowly turned his hips, with the aid of the android, until his legs dangled near the floor. Ace lowered the mattress, stopping when Gavin’s socked feet were planted firmly.

“How do you feel so far?” Ace asked, monitoring for any signs of dizziness or nausea.

“I’m fine.” Gavin sighed, his leg giving a painful protest as he moved, his head not too far behind.

“Are you su-

“If you ask me if I’m sure, Ace, I swear!” Gavin gritted out, snaking a hand to the android’s waist even as he spoke.

The android said nothing as he held the detective steady, his steadying rock for the moment. Gavin nodded when he was ready to continue, his head was still spinning, but at least he wasn’t sequestered to the bed. Ace grabbed the gait belt at the foot of the bed, expertly placing it at Gavin’s waist—just in case.

They started slowly, taking baby steps to the door—there was probably a better way to do this, but Ace had insisted on taking over, it was on him if this went awry.

Eventually Gavin found his footing, a bit more confident in his step as they made a lap around the floor. By the time they returned to the room, the nurse was there with Tylenol and an ice pack.

“I couldn’t help but notice what an excellent job you did today, Mr. Reed.” She said sincerely, placing down the objects at a nearby table. “You too, sir, though I didn’t quite catch your name.” She said, her tone rising into an almost question.

“Ace, you can call me Ace.” He replied, helping the detective back into bed, he pushed the tiny paper cup Gavin’s way, giving him some water to drink the pills down. Holding the ice-pack in his hands, he pressed it softly against the detective’s bandaged wound, aiming for comfortably cool, using Gavin’s facial expressions as a guide.

“Perfect, I see he’s already in capable hands. May I ask what your relationship to Mr. Reed is, we don’t have an ‘Ace’ in our records.” She asked conversationally, meaning to do this earlier.

“I’m his android partner, we work together at the Detroit Police Department.” Ace replied again, his tone curt but friendly.

“Excellent, then I’ll be on my way, if there’s anything else you may need, don’t hesitate to ask.” And she was off, leaving the two males to look at each other and then at nothing.

“Speaking of the DPD, shouldn’t you be back there investigating the case?” Reed asked rhetorically, his eyes squinting as if he found it hard to see the android.

Ace poked a finger between the man’s eyebrows, soothing the line that often formed when he spoke. “I will, as soon as I know you can care for yourself.” Ace promised, holding one of Gavin’s hands in his own and kissing the palm, turning the detective from a human to a tomato in 3 seconds flat.

“Stop that.” Gavin said, quickly moving his hand away as if he’d been burned. “It’s embarrassing.” He rubbed his red cheeks, cursing his complexion for the millionth time.

“I hope that with time, it won’t be.” Ace said, lowering his voice to a murmur, so soft that Gavin had to strain to hear it.

The human’s heart quickened, his pulse racing faster in his veins, God he was gone. Ace leaned close, almost as if to kiss him again, instead he pushed his forehead to Gavin’s, their temperature difference almost minute in their closeness.

The soft knock on the slightly opened door startled them both, forcing them to turn their heads to the sound, Ace quickly took a couple of steps back, his own blush receptors responding to the intrusion.

A familiar blond head poked through the door, dark shades on their handsome face. Vincent was wearing all black, a complete transformation from the bright and colourful uniform from his place of employment. “Oh damn, you’re still alive, I thought I’d be able to run away with your pretty android.” Vincent said, almost sounding serious if it weren’t for that fond smile he held for Gavin, wrapping two strong arms around his best friend.

“Fuck off.” Gavin murmured just as fondly, giving him a tight squeeze.

“Don’t scare me like that again!” Vincent warned, playfully swatting Gavin upside the head. “I get a call from someone named Connor, says you’ve been shot while on duty, how the fuck am I supposed to sleep at night knowing that you almost _died_?” Vincent continued, melodramatic in the way he spoke, but sincere nonetheless.

“Sorry V, but I gotta’ keep you on your toes, make sure you’re still my friend after all these years.” Gavin replied, tapping the man on his nose.

“ _Hunty_ , we’ve been friends for ages, how has that not crossed your thick skull already?” Vincent asked, mock offended.

“Ugh, don’t start with that, I thought we promised to leave that vernacular behind after High School.” Gavin groaned, rubbing a disgruntled hand down his face.

“Oh dear, Ace, don’t let his mean tough-guy schtick fool ya’, this guy is a total queen! You wouldn’t believe half the shit he’s done in college, _gwod_ , I’m surprised he even graduated.” Vincent said, ignoring the flabbergasted sounds coming from Gavin’s mouth.

“I’d very much like to know, actually.” Ace said, enjoying their banter. So, this is what friendship looked like.

“Oh no you don’t!” Gavin said quickly, wrapping a hand around Vincent’s mouth to silence him before he could even say a word. The blond rolled his eyes, pulling Gavin’s hands away and proceeded to embarrass him—he at least he had the decency to close the door before he did so.

“This one time, Gavin was crushing _hard_ on this senior, tall, handsome, he has a thing for those.” Vincent said, winking at the android. “We were at this party right, and it’s late so Gavin and the dude decide to pair up.” Vincent starts cracking up, almost unable to finish his story with how hard he’s laughing. “Poor Gavin comes running down the stairs, half-naked and _furious_ ; the guy he’d been with was a _bottom_. Mind you Ace, this dude was freaking tall, built, I mean you’d say top any day, not that you should stereotype, but still—he didn’t look like he liked taking it.” Vincent said, finally finishing his story.

“Why did he not sleep with him then?” Ace asked trying to push the stark jealousy out of his mind and figure out the missing piece. It had happened with Evan as well, something about men asking Gavin to be in charge turned him off—at least it seemed that way.

“Oh, Ace, can’t you tell?” Vincent said, almost pitifully, he patted his friend’s head patronizingly, much to the chagrin of said friend. “Gavin here’s a total bottom!” Vincent squealed when Gavin pinched his hip, jumping out of the pincer-grasp.

“If I weren’t tied to this bed, I’d kill you.” Gavin said murderously. Vincent rolled his eyes at the petty threat.

“I am a _citizen_ , good sir, as a member of the police department you are supposed to serve and protect me.” Vincent said righteously, employing an overly diplomatic voice.

“I’m off-duty, jackass.” Gavin murmured, fuming silently in his bed. He didn’t chance a look at the android, too embarrassed by his friend and his own past to look him straight in the eye.

“Maybe it’s his personality, hey Ace? He’s worked so hard on being this ‘macho police officer’ and then it turns around and bites him in the ass!” Vincent cackled, almost bursting into another hysterical fit, referencing the other times when Gavin had lamented his inability to find a suitable top. “Oh, well I’m off, just wanted to make sure you were okay and all, so yeah. Bye.” Vincent said, his tone nonchalant, but the way he hugged Gavin goodbye showed how much he truly cared for his incapacitated friend.

“Bye V, you magnificent pain in my ass.” Gavin said lovingly, pushing the blond away gently.

“As if; I thought Detective Ace was the pain in your ass.” Vincent said, winking at the android again, he walked out the room without another word.

“I hate his fucking guts.” Gavin sighed to himself, letting his head hit the pillow.

“You don’t mean that.” Ace replied kindly, taking a chair by his side, and drawing it close.

“I don’t, but the intent was there.” Gavin replied. He felt tired suddenly, as if he could sleep another ten hours. “You should go, figure out what you can for the case while I’m here. I’d hate to make us fall behind—it’s not as if you were also injured.” Reed told him plainly, burying himself in the sheets. He missed the plushness of his own bed and the warm embrace of the android’s CyberLife jacket. 

“If that’s what you want.” Ace replied, moving to get up from his chair. Gavin’s warm hand stopped him, tugging at his long-sleeve.

“It’s not what I want, it’s what we must do.” The detective admitted, his expression troubled.

“You’ll call if you need anything? You understand that I’ll be here as soon as I can?” Ace asked, just to make sure Gavin knew these things.

“Yes, of course. Go now, prick, we’ve got a case to solve.” Gavin said, closing his eyes as slumber won over his lids. He felt a small press of lips over his temple, the gesture sweet to say the least.

It was the only good-bye they needed, words wouldn’t have compared.

Ace made it to the precinct with time to spare, going straight into the evidence locker and pulling out all the things he’d had stored in his own secret pockets.

Starting with the eye, the model belonged to an AX400. Rewinding the last 48-hours only managed to show him more of Dr. Alice Freeham and the battalion of enhanced humans she was creating. Apart from that, there wasn’t much to see, except a drug addict shooting Red Ice into their blood stream.

Ace continued his search, looking with a fine-toothed comb over any detail he may have missed.

Why the androids, if they were just going to be repurposed; why the virus, if the androids were obsolete, and why Red Ice if humans were going to become cybernetic?

He needed to find that scrambler, damn it, it was the only way.

Ace searched through the back-catalogue of dialogue Markus and Simon had sent him, all of it was gibberish, the only clear part was on Markus’s end. It seemed that the RK200 had some immunity to the frequency, which to date meant that all RK models were the only ones in production to actually be able to hear each other.

What made them so superior? Was it their upgraded processors, that special hardware Kamski was talking about?

Ace shook his head to clear the display, moving onto another piece of evidence. Rochelle had known about his upgraded Thirium, she’d said something about CyberLife being forced to release manuals of operation. He looked through the recent court hearing, seeing the People win over CyberLife. He dug through the records of all the androids that had ever been made, isolating the RK series. His was the only standout character, with his distinct specifications making him a larger target.

Ace grit his teeth, forcing his mind to think harder, expend more processing power into his advanced brain to trace the scrambler. He tugged at their only solid connection, inserting it into an isolated space and dissected it for all it was worth. It broke under his barrage of commands, disassembling like loose thread—he wanted so much to understand what it’d been, but it collapsed under its own weight.

“Damn it.” Ace cursed, running a steadying hand through his hair. There had to be more to this that he wasn’t seeing.

He heard the evidence room door open, soft footsteps descending the stairwell. Ace turned around to greet Connor, the android looked serious, his face softening a tad when he found his little brother. “We found another android.” He said simply, letting Ace follow him to the interrogation room.

The android in question jumped when the two detectives entered, it was a female android this time, half of her face was exposed as if she’d been brutally beaten, her LED was stuck on red—stress level readings were incredibly high. “Why didn’t you put her in emergency stasis?” Ace asked Connor almost accusingly.

Connor ignored Ace’s tone, walking around to place a solid hand on the female’s shoulder. She shook but relaxed, wrapping a tight arm around herself. “She actually wants to talk—virus and all.” Connor said, surprising Ace. “I’ll be in the other room if you need me.” Connor continued, doing just that, and leaving his successor to the case.

“Hello, my name is Ace.” He started delicately, slowly sitting on his side of the desk. “Do you have a name?”

“L-Laura.” She stuttered, her head ticking when she tried to speak. It had come out mechanical and warped, almost as if she were talking through a broken system.

“Do you know where the scrambler is?” Ace started, not bothering with nuance. If she wanted to talk, then he needed answers. This threw another element to his case, it meant that there were defector androids who were fighting the corrupt programming—an interesting evolution as it were.

“It’s…it is inside h-her.” Laura answered, though it had been tough to get those words out. “S-s-s-she is the scrambler.” Laura was struggling now, her LED cycling to a brand-new colour: white.

“Dr. Freeham?” Ace asked. If that were the case, then this would be a lot harder than he thought. Taking the android’s words literally meant that Alice Freeham would need to be opened surgically to remove the device if she failed to comply.

“No. Not her.” Laura’s face began sparking, her wires were overheating, she was shutting down.

“ _What_?” Ace asked, his shock pushing over his concern.

“It’s not her, i-i-i-i-i-it’s A-A-A-A-Am-

But she couldn’t finish, her processors overloading, killing her from within.

“Shit.” Ace said rushing to her side, she convulsed in his arms giving a silent shriek and then shutting down. “Fuck!”

Connor ran in the room, quick to bring the portable diagnostic machine. He stopped when Ace shook his head, giving a quiet no. “It’s too late, she was too far gone anyway.” Ace concluded, letting the android slump on the desk.

“What do you mean by that?!” Connor said pushing him out of the way. He opened the port in the back of her neck, aghast when he realized he couldn’t access it—it’d been ripped from her back, the wires and ports welded shut. “Who would _do_ this?”

“Someone who doesn’t want us to interfere with the androids' neural network. They know that’s how we’re fixing the virus.” Ace explained running through the most likely scenarios. “Connor, I think we need to start involving CyberLife into this.”

“Ace, what if it _is_ CyberLife?” Connor asked, looking worse for wear.

“It…it’s not logical, CyberLife may have had some corrupt practices, but purposefully causing deviancy was not one of them. If that were the case, then they wouldn’t have fought so hard to stop it.” Ace reminded, his mind still pre and reconstructing scenarios where all these puzzle pieces made sense. “Regardless, I think androids are in danger from something greater than themselves.” Ace continued, his options looking grim.

“What do you suggest we do?” Connor asked, not liking his options either.

“Quarantine, at least until we can figure out where the scrambler is.” Ace replied, sighing the words in discontent.

“We can’t do that, they’re people now, putting them in an enclosed space, even for their own safety, is not gonna’ fly well.” Connor reminded hotly. “Besides, it’d be close to impossible to round up all the androids.” He said, looking over to their deceased suspect.

“Then what do _you_ suggest we do?” Ace asked, throwing his hands in the air—such a human gesture.

“We’re smart androids, right? If we can create a software strong enough to counteract the effects of the virus, then we’ll at least have given our fellow androids some modicum of protection.” Connor suggested.

The plan was a sound one in theory, but Ace could already see how it would fall apart. “And what if the Skorpio virus evolves as a result, what if we make it stronger?”

“It’s better than nothing Ace, we can’t just leave them exposed to be hacked. We didn’t fight for our deviancy for it to be mistreated.” Connor said sagely, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked over to Laura again, a powerful sense of grief running through his wires. “She was able to work through the virus, she evolved past it. You may be the best there is Ace, but you’re not the only one who can learn.” Connor concluded, picking up Laura, careful to treat her with the respect any human or android deserved—even after death.

“You must remember that, if you ever want to grow.” It was the last thing he said before leaving Ace in the room alone to think.

He needed more answers than he was getting, and the little he was learning only served to make him more confused. He missed the simplicity of the hospital room, where it was just getting Gavin from point A to point B and he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Here it felt like the blind leading the blind.

_The scrambler is inside her._

_She is the scrambler._

_Not her._

_Am-_

**|Running Predictive Software:**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**-Amanda? |**


	18. S U C C

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUCC!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So let's slap a big ol' NSFW warning on this bad boy right here!
> 
> Now for a couple of disclaimers:  
> \- I might have to change the rating because got-damn does it get explicit just to be on the safe side  
> \- I'm a raging lesbian, I'm not quite sure if any of you knew...what with the fact that literally any character in this BS is gay! As such I really can't stand the C-word (and I'm not talking about cunt) so you'll seldom see me use it. It's more like saying without saying, am I making any sense?  
> -So yeah, also, I haven't written smut in literally years, so it's probably horrendously done. Just let me know okay? I tried, I'm sorry!

“And you remember to change the bandage every eight hours for the next three days?” The nurse asked again. Ace didn’t have the heart to tell her that he’d already documented everything he had to do to take care of Gavin. The older woman couldn’t quite grasp the idea of how androids worked, so she fell back on her own human habits of double triple checking to make sure her patients were left in the best care.

“Yes, of course.” Ace replied pleasantly. He had his arms around the handles of the wheelchair, waiting for the go-ahead from the nurse discharging them.

“If you see any signs of infection, bring him in immediately.” She said seriously, looking at both Gavin and Ace.

“He knows.” Gavin replied, getting a bit exasperated. He just wanted to go home.

“Of course, make sure he takes it easy, I’ve got a feeling he’s more hard-headed than most.” She said, loudly whispering to Ace. The android nodded in agreement, much to the chagrin of the detective. “It was a pleasure having you as a patient, please don’t make me see you again.” She said sincerely, leaving them to pack up.

It was the fourth day since the incident. The doctor had given Gavin the go-ahead to leave, discharging him once she figured that the detective was not only in capable hands, but also in stable condition.

They walked through the building, taking Gavin’s car from the garage. Using the crutches (because there was no way in hell he’d be caught dead being carried inside his own car) he slid into the passenger side, only cursing once when his left leg jiggled uncomfortably.

“We’ll be home soon, then you can relax.” Ace said, returning the wheelchair to the hospital entrance.

Gavin nodded, shivering slightly in his thin clothing. The hospital had provided him with some temporary garments since his pants had been destroyed and his leather jacket was in the laundry bag. Ace had only been to the precinct and the hospital, so they’d tasked Connor with feeding the cats, but forgot to mention to bring a change of clothes.

The detective managed to lull off again, still exhausted despite the fact that he’d spent 4 days ‘resting.’ The android rubbed his index finger along the detective’s jaw, feeling the texture of his overgrown stubble. Reed jerked awake, looking around as if were lost. “I’m awake.”

“Obviously.” Ace said rolling his eyes. It was a fond roll, though. He helped the man through the hallway, wanting to insist on carrying him, but understanding why Gavin was too proud to accept.

That was, until they got inside, where the detective practically fell into Ace’s arms and dropped his crutches. “What, we’re home now.” Gavin murmured, “Coddle me.” He continued, his lips pouting comically—like an overgrown child.

“Careful what you wish for Gavin, my programming is only versed in the literal.” Ace said, picking up the detective like a damsel, mindful of his injured leg. “You might come to regret it.” Ace whispered against the lobe of Gavin’s ear, drawing out a shiver from his human companion.

“I think I’ll take my chances.” Gavin reassured him, patting his head like a dog.

“Where to?” Ace asked, looking around the living-space. It needed to be cleaned up, it’d been neglected far longer than their stay at the hospital—something Ace wasn’t going to comment on just yet.

“I could actually use a _real_ shower, but honestly, I just wanna’ sleep.” Gavin replied, covering his mouth with his free hand as he stifled a yawn.

“You should eat something first.” Ace replied, noting the time was close to mid-day.

“At least let me take a nap.” Gavin said, almost falling asleep in the android’s arms. “Okay.” Ace relented, not wanting to argue with the detective, he was visibly tired, the dark purples of his undereyes giving away _just_ how much. “Would you like some pain medicine, you’re due for another dose.” Ace reminded as he walked towards Gavin’s room.

“Why the fuck not?” Replied the man, his eyes already closed.

Ace nodded, opening the door, and pushing it aside, unsurprised to find the bed unmade and clothes strewn about the place. What did surprise him, however, was the corner of his CyberLife jacket poking out prominently from the black sheets—sticking out worse than a sore thumb.

The android paused for a second, before decidedly ignoring his strong urge to investigate, and lowered the detective down on his bed, tucking the duvet under his chin. “Anything in particular you’d like to eat?” Ace asked, the emotion in his voice almost hard to hide.

“Anything really, though I’m craving pasta for some reason.” Gavin said, burying his head under the covers.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Ace promised, taking his time to find the pain medication, and giving it to the injured human with a tall glass of water.

A few hours later, when the cats were all fed and watered, the house was sparkling clean, and the food was prepared, Ace found himself unable to wake Gavin. He looked so peaceful in his slumber, mouth slightly ajar, saliva sliding down the corner and into the pillow. He knew how it tasted, the thought never failing to send a jolt through his wires, stuttering his processors. Though they hadn’t spoken about it, he’d thought about the kiss incessantly, discovering his Optic Units lingering on the detective’s lips when he was asleep, finding it even more difficult to look away.

Ace had never done something so human before. Out of all his deviant emotions and urges, the one to kiss had never crossed his mind until he’d met Gavin.

Pulling himself from the dark hole that were his thoughts, he patted the detective gently on the shoulder, waking him as softly as he could. “Dinner’s ready.” Ace said plainly, smiling when the detective shook his head, shooing the android away. “Gavin.”

“Five more minutes.” The detective begged, his bottom lip jutting out.

“You’ll keep asking for five more until tomorrow. Besides, I made the pasta.” Ace said, almost as an incentive for the detective to get out of bed.

“Fine.” Gavin said, giving up. He looked at the android expectantly, lifting his arms in the air for him to pick him up. He’d forgotten, however, that through the course of his nap he’d woken to put the jacket on. So now his hands were dwarfed inside the cuffed sleeves, giving him away.

Ace raised an eyebrow, his look almost judgmental if it wasn’t so fond. “You never returned it to CyberLife.” He stated matter-of-fact.

Gavin was blushing furiously, shame forcing him to hide his head behind his hands. “I must look like such a love-struck piece of shit.” He said through his fingers.

“You do.” Ace conceded, surprising the detective. “But you’re my love-struck piece of shit.” The android continued, picking up the detective.

“Where’d you learn that, the back of some Hallmark card or something?” Gavin said, his blush only creeping higher on his face. He tried to look intimidating with his arms crossed around his chest, but the over-sized jacket only worked to emphasize how small he actually was.

Ace ignored him, opting instead to sit him on the couch and bring the plate to him. So that the detective didn’t feel so out-of-place while he ate, the android pulled out a small cup with some Thirium in it, having stored another bag in his black suit.

“How is it?” The android asked absentmindedly as they watched TV. He’d done the best he could with the ingredients in the fridge, not finding much in terms of meat substitutes, so he just used more vegetables.

“It’s fine.” Gavin said, scarfing down another bite. Fuck, he _was_ hungry, and the shit was delicious to say the least. Something that hadn’t changed in the last 20 years was the hospital food, bland and unfeeling.

Ace nodded, noting the detective’s enthusiasm as a good thing. He’d tell him to slow down, but he was already halfway done, pasta sauce dripping down his chin. “You’re making a mess, Gavin.” Ace said, swiping his thumb over the most egregious streak, smearing the redness even more. He stuck the digit in his mouth, his analyzers picking up exactly what made up the tomato puree.

“Fuck off, it’s my house.” Gavin said quickly, resorting to pettiness to hide his ever-present blush. God, he was such a fucking mess when the android was around.

“That it is.” Ace acquiesced, turning back to the mindless television.

“Thank you.” Gavin said sometime later, when the plates were washed, and the left-overs put away.

“For what?” Ace asked. He was sitting back, actually letting his body relax into the soft plush of the couch. He’d never thought of how it felt, didn’t need to since androids don’t get sore, but it was comfortable.

Gavin had his clothed legs over Ace’s thighs, leaning against the arm of the sofa as he watched television—a companionable silence fell over them. “For nothing.” Gavin replied, he’d been spacing out, almost as if he were lost in thought.

They left it at that for the night. The detective eventually returning to bed and Ace sitting in a nearby chair. He didn’t initiate Stasis Mode, opting instead to watch the detective as he slept, preferring to be awake in case he needed anything—that or maybe he just liked to watch him sleep.

It was a good thing he did, as a couple of hours later, Gavin tossed and turned, thrashing his arms almost as if he were shielding his body from something. The android was by his side immediately, trying to be gentle when he woke him up.

Gavin almost screamed, the nightmare still vividly colouring the back of his lids. He’d figure he’d get a couple of those eventually, narrowly escaping death wasn’t something his mind took lightly.

“Is everything alright?” Ace asked, running a caring hand through Gavin’s sweaty hair, doing everything in his programming to calm him down.

“Yeah, yeah, just nightmares, the usual stuff.” Gavin replied, his heart-rate slowly decreasing, his breaths deepening.

“Androids can’t dream, so it’s difficult for me to relate, but I can empathize with your discomfort, seeing as you almost dying made it seem like I was also.” Ace admitted, resting a large hand on the detective’s cheek. Gavin’s eyes widened at the confession, leaning his head into the warm palm. “I’m sorry.”

Gavin shook his head at the apology, bringing the android close for desperate kiss, trying to make him understand that it wasn’t his fault, it wasn’t any of their faults that the world had turned to shit, and the ones who could fix it were just as fucked up.

Ace reciprocated, mindful of where he placed his hands, since the detective was still bruised and battered from when he’d fallen down the stairs. It was a miracle he’d made it out without any broken bones.

The android brought them closer, the thought of almost losing Gavin urged him on, forcing him into a near-frenzied state. The detective tugged his hair, an indicator that he needed to breathe, Ace obliged, moving onto that small curve in the human’s neck, drawing a whine from him. Gavin bit his lip, embarrassment flooded his veins, almost compelling him to stop the android’s ministrations.

Ace pushed them backwards, so now he was looking down at the detective with a quizzical eye. “What?” Gavin asked, almost self-conscious, he never knew what to make of the android’s gaze.

“Nothing.” Ace reassured, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. “Go back to sleep.”

Gavin didn’t protest, just simply did as he was told, letting the android’s proximity relax him into a near-comatose state.

When he woke, Ace still sat by his bed, his LED cycling softly in that cool-blue state of his. He’d been thinking for a while, but at least it hadn’t been about overly complicated subjects. Gavin stood up, mindful of his still injured leg.

Ace watched as Gavin walked over to the bathroom, raising a suspicious eyebrow. “Detective, what are you doing?” Ace asked as he watched him get ready for work. He limped around the room but was otherwise stable on his feet.

“ _Gavin_ , and what does it look like I’m doing?” He asked snappily, donning his T-shirt and jacket.

“It _looks_ like you’re disobeying the doctor’s orders.” Ace retorted, standing by the detective so he wouldn’t fall over his hubris. “If I recall correctly, both she and the nurse said you needed to take it easy.” The android reminded gently.

“I’ve been cooped up in the hospital for 4 days, and I’ve spent all day yesterday here, I _have_ been taking it easy.” Gavin said, leaning over to pick up his shoes and hissing when he felt the stitches pull. God that stung.

“Mhmm.”

“Shut up.” Gavin said quickly, pointing an accusatory finger at the android. “I promise to sit at my desk like a good boy, but I can’t stay here any longer Ace, these walls are starting to feel like a prison.” He confessed, sitting on his bed to get his shoes on. His right foot was no problem, but his left gave him some trouble, he looked dejected as the android lowered himself to help.

“What does that make me? Your prison-guard?” Ace asked, a small grin taking hold on his face to let Gavin know he wasn’t particularly upset with his assumed role.

“No, at least not entirely.” Gavin conceded, letting the android put on his shoe. “But you’ve been able to go when I haven’t, and I know you’ve been itchin’ to tell me something.” Gavin investigated his icy-blues, knowing full well the extent of their power, but still able to see the emotion beneath—right now they were telling him that they understood.

“Gavin-

“I appreciate you keeping business and home separate, but I can’t stay here Ace, I need to help, to do my job.” Gavin pleaded clasping his hands together. 

Ace relented, never really one to deny the detective anything, a fallacy in his programming, he was sure. “If you do so much as stand up for too long, we’re going back home.” He threatened, using that special tone that always made Reed pay attention.

“Of course.” Gavin replied, obviously not meaning it. He could do whatever the fuck he wanted, even if that meant going against the doctor’s orders.

Returning to work was a relief, even if all he could do was push papers, he wasn’t gonna’ complain—thankful that he finally had something to do.

Ace was also thankful, taking care of the detective had been his top priority, but he was still a _detective_ android, and he couldn’t quite shuck that feeling of uselessness being stuck home with Gavin.

They passed Connor and Hank in the break room, the duo giving them a pleasant smile and a welcome back pat. “We thought you’d disappeared,” Hank said honestly, not looking too troubled by that statement. “It was really quiet around here, almost missed your annoying voice.” He continued the teasing, his light tone letting the detective know he wasn’t being overly serious.

“I’m sure you did just fine without me, Hank, you had Connor to keep you company.” Reed teased, taking a sip from his cup.

The lieutenant had the decency to look flustered, blushing brightly under his beard. “Shut up and get back to work.” Hank gruffed, pushing Gavin out of the way.

The detective’s eyes creased as he grinned widely, glad to still have some pull on Hank’s emotions; he thought he’d gotten soft. But he did return to his station, Ace in tow, and sat down looking at his terminal to catch up on the things he’d missed.

The android let him read through the progress reports, nodding along with the things he knew and furrowing his eyebrows at the latest information. “You found the scrambler?” Gavin asked, turning around in his seat.

Ace sat up straighter, the subject of the scrambler sent a deep shiver through his core. His prediction had been a wild one in the sea of many, but it would make sense, it also gave Connor some credibility in being skeptical about fully involving CyberLife. If ‘Am-’ truly was _Amanda_ , then they were facing something larger than just corrupt programming.

“Not necessarily.” Ace trod carefully, unsure of how much he should retell about his inner workings.

“Which means _what_ exactly?” Gavin said, getting serious. He crossed his arms, waiting for the android to elaborate.

“There’s this software called ‘Amanda,’ she’s a guard of sorts placed by CyberLife to monitor and control our behaviour.” Ace started, her face coming to mind, he shivered again, his LED flashing red. “A prototype, to be exact, she was used in both Connor and me to aid in our deviancy investigation… but she was more than that. Had we not _turned_ deviant, she would have resumed control, and so would CyberLife.” Ace concluded, opening the eyes he hadn’t noticed were closed.

Gavin looked worried, wanting to extend a comforting hand, but unable to do so in their environment. “So, she’s bad news.” The detective guessed, the android nodding in acquiesce.

“Extremely, the fact that Skorpio may have their hands on her could mean a myriad of things.” Ace continued, feeling his professionalism return as he buried his emotions. “The most worrisome of which is the fact that CyberLife may no longer be safe. There is a high probability that defector androids have made their way inside, possibly disguised as workers.”

“What are they waiting for?” Gavin asked, pulling out a pad and a pen.

“CyberLife is a bastion of computer innovation and technology, you may be able to hide the fact that you’re a defector, but there’s no way that a simple domestic android could hack into the computer mainframe, maybe they’re just biding their time, waiting to see how the Skorpio virus will eventually evolve, if it even _can_.” Ace supplied helpfully, thinking back to all he knew about CyberLife. “With the company in disarray, the androids have taken over most of the production and development, it’s not far-fetched to assume that at least one of them may be working for the wrong side.”

“That means you can’t return to CyberLife for repairs, at least not for the time being.” Gavin said matter-of-factly.

“As much as I hate to admit it, I must agree with you.” Ace teased, “At least not until I’ve developed a shield for the virus.”

“You do that, I’m gonna’ start putting some of these files away.” Gavin said, logging back into his terminal.

They worked in silence, Ace testing his anti-virus software in a virtual android and Gavin pushing digital papers.

The human thought hard on what he’d learned, there’d been so much more to Ace than he’d originally let on. Gavin found himself losing to his train of thought, often remembering the pained expression talking about this ‘Amanda’ brought the android.

The detective got anxious, his hands tapping idly against the side of his desk. By the time two minutes passed he was moving every body part that wasn’t injured. “Ace, I need my daily dose.” Gavin said finally, giving into his pressing addiction.

“Of course, be mindful of your leg.” Ace conceded, standing at the ready.

They walked outside, standing under the covers since it started raining, the thunder and lightning worrisome for its proximity. Nonetheless, it was calming, almost in a paradoxical way, the turmoil outside helped quell the turmoil within, and at least the android was distracted enough to stop thinking so hard.

Gavin looked to the sky and squinted, wondering when the rain had appeared. Being cooped inside the building had deafened him to the sounds of the outside world.

The detective pointed to his lips, pouting expectantly. Ace thought it better to surprise him, it was always best to keep Gavin on alert, make him expect the unexpected, like a kiss instead of a cigarette—both equally as addicting. “You sneaky bastard.” Gavin murmured accusingly, leaning in again for another kiss. He had to get on his tippy-toes to reach Ace’s height, something he’d always enjoyed doing; it was his kink—fuck off.

“Are you relaxed enough?” The android asked, wrapping one hand around the detective’s waist and the other he used to caress his cheek.

“Actually, I’m incredibly stimulated.” Gavin said suggestively, his eyebrows rising as if to say, ‘you know what I mean?’

“Then we should get back to work, wouldn’t want to waste such precious momentum.” Ace returned, quickly letting go of his partner and adjusting his tie.

“Ace!” Gavin whined, going so far as to stomp his uninjured leg in frustration as the android walked past him and into the precinct.

The detective had no choice but to follow. Downtrodden and miffed he resumed his work, forcing his eyes not to linger on his desk-mate, which was hard, all things considered.

Even though Ace had told the office that Gavin couldn’t go on any runs, their terminals rang a couple of hours before their shift ended. Gavin picked it up through force of habit and they had no choice but to oblige.

“I’m fine.” Gavin said for the umpteenth time as Ace drove them to the crime scene, he’d insisted on going alone, but Gavin stared him down until he caved, a decision he hoped he might not come to regret.

“Just stay behind me.” Ace said sternly, to his chagrin Gavin just rolled his eyes, exiting the vehicle overzealously. He hadn’t had anything to do in _days_ , he was almost gagging for it.

It was just another android-riddled drug den. Whoever had ‘lived’ here, left shop weeks ago, deserting a slew of robot bodies in their exodus. Ace looked around regardless, mindful to take only the necessary parts for their investigation, reminding himself to call in a clean-up crew when they were done.

The android was careful to keep a watchful eye on Gavin, making sure they didn’t get separated in the dingy house, and maybe that’s why he was caught unawares when another android jumped him, shoving a hand into his neck and forcing them to interface.

In an instant he knew everything the android knew, feeling as its last moments were ripped from it to serve another.

Ace came back a second before he saw Gavin shoot, only able to take them both out of the bullet’s path because of his reflexes. If it had been anyone else, the other android would be dead.

“Don’t shoot!” Ace shouted, cradling the corrupt android in his arms. It gasped silently, as if it were drowning, their LED stuttering red then shutting off. “They knew something.” He whispered the last part, his heart still racing as his processors worked to decipher the code.

“Shit, I’m sorry.” Gavin apologized, holstering his gun. “I just saw it jump you and I reacted-

“It’s fine.” Ace was quick to hush Gavin, pushing past him and taking the stairs two at a time. The detective looked on in confusion, following apprehensively.

The last he saw of Ace were his long legs hoisting him into the attic. Gavin would follow, but you know, stitches.

There was a loud thud, accompanied by many scurrying footsteps, Gavin said fuck it and went upstairs despite the protests from his leg. He’d take care of it later. “Ace, you good?” Gavin asked, drawing his weapon again, just in case this time he _had_ to shoot.

“I’m fine. I found a couple of other androids. They’re all blind.” Ace said factually. When Gavin rounded the corner, he noticed how the others circled his partner, almost as if they were worshiping him.

“You’re the voice we heard through the virus, it was because of you that we could somewhat break-free.” One of the androids, an AX400, said—her tattered uniform almost unrecognizable in its disarray.

“How long have you been here?” Ace asked, unperturbed by the eyeless androids. Gavin, on the other hand, found it hard to not wince, the scene still gruesome regardless of the mechanics. He counted seven androids, all of them missing more than just their eyes.

“About three months, she’s keeping us in random houses until she needs us, or she’s used us up.” The AX400 continued, seeming to assume the role of leader for the time being.

“Dr. Freeham?” Ace asked, still unable to confirm or deny Amanda’s involvement in this situation.

“Correct. She’s using another android, the AP700 to spread the virus. It’s too powerful for most androids to process, but we were able to destroy some of it enough to start feeling like ourselves again.” She said, giving more insight into their case.

“And the scrambler?” Ace continued questioning the group, hoping that this bit of information could get the ball rolling again.

“That we don’t know, only Dr. Freeham and Kieran have access to it. From what I’ve gathered, it wasn’t always part of the plan, but when the revolution occurred, many CyberLife facilities were overrun by both androids and humans, it wouldn’t be implausible to assume they learned something valuable.” She supplied, it was almost suspicious how much she knew, but Ace tried to ignore that thought, knowing full well that the android was telling the truth. He didn’t need a scan to confirm that.

“Is Kieran also under the influence of the virus?” Ace asked.

“Kieran _is_ the virus.” AX400 said, almost as if it were obvious. “He’s a corrupt android, if that weren’t ironic enough, his programming had been originally destroyed in a forced memory wipe during the revolution. Whenever he links with another android, a part of his code gets sent through and so do his memories.”

“Why is he working with Dr. Freeham, I’d assume he would hate humans after that.” Ace asked skeptically.

“He does, but Dr. Freeham is more machine than human at this point, she’s almost able to interface with other androids.” Another android, PL600, spoke up. It was Simon’s model, uncanny in its familiarity, yet distant—Ace tried not to think about it.

“She was going to be replaced by an android, why become one?” Gavin asked, the first to speak up since the conversation began.

All heads turned to him, almost like a scene in a cliched horror movie. “Why not?” They all asked in unison, even Ace had joined the choir, spooking the detective further.

“So, what do they _really_ want to do? It seems like Kieran wants an actual war, and Dr. Freeham wants to turn humans into ‘organic’ androids.” Ace questioned, almost lost in how convoluted it all seemed.

“You assume that they’re partners, that couldn’t be further from the truth,” the PL600 continued, almost amused at Ace’s postulation. “There’s an obvious conflict of interest, it is the reason why the scrambler exists, and it has chosen Dr. Freeham’s side.”

“As we stand, Dr. Freeham holds all the cards; Kieran _could_ rebel, but he’d find himself destroyed almost instantly.” The AX400 spoke again.

“Is that what happens when you go against the Skorpio virus?” Ace asked, recalling the android in the interrogation room.

“It’s part of it, but it mostly has to do with the scrambler, if Dr. Freeham feels threatened, she sends a wave of code so large that it fries the android’s processor. There’s only been one android to survive such a thing.” She stated, almost impressed.

“And who might that be?” Ace asked, also impressed.

“You.” They said in unison.

“What?”

“You.” They repeated again.

“How? I haven’t even-

“Exactly. She’s tried many times, but your programming is incredibly secure, not even a CyberLife technician could get through to it. Whoever created you wanted to make sure you were unhackable.” The PL600 spoke again, filling in the blanks for what the AX400 couldn’t say.

“Is there any way to reach her?” Gavin asked, continuing the investigation since Ace was in a state of shock.

“Isolate the scrambler and you can trace it back to her, she has it on her at all times.” AX400 supplied helpfully.

“Thank you for your help.” Ace said after he’d gotten over the revelation.

“No, thank you, had it not been for your announcement, we may never have been able to work through the virus. It’s not completely gone, but it’s better than it was before.” PL600 said sincerely.

“We have a way of erasing the virus from your code, it requires momentary stasis, but it’s painless. You can keep your memories of this if you’d like, but you’d be sent to a rehabilitation centre until we can find Dr. Freeham.” Ace informed them, already setting out a call for the DPD.

“We owe you our lives, detective.” One said, and the others nodded in consensus.

“Please don’t, I was just doing my job.” Ace replied, almost embarrassed to be hailed in such high regard.

“She’s already forgotten us, it’s part of the reason we’re not dead. But an android never forgets their own, please remember that, when you find Kieran.” The PL600 said, it was the last they spoke before Ace saw the red-and-blue of the cop cars, and they were able to leave for the precinct.

The ride back was silent, many things had come to light, some more unpleasant than others. They still didn’t speak when they came back inside, only doing so to clock-out and go home.

It wasn’t until the duo walked through the threshold that Ace finally noticed the larger limp in Gavin’s step. “You pushed yourself too hard, detective.” Ace chided, wrapping a hand around his partner’s waist, carrying him most of the way to his bedroom and letting him sit by the bed to catch his breath.

“I didn’t, I’m just tired.” Gavin replied, though it was mostly the truth, he’d still stretched it—much like he had his stitches. “I need a shower.” He said absentmindedly, standing up and then sitting back down when the pain finally registered, okay, maybe he _had_ pushed himself too hard.

Ace raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, almost looking disappointed in Gavin.

“What? I’m fine, okay, see?” Gavin tried to demonstrate by standing up again and almost succeeded, if it weren’t for his unsteady stance giving him away.

“Okay then, Gavin, when you’re ready to get your bandages changed, I’ll be sitting right here.” The android said, motioning to the spare chair in the room.

Gavin, always a little shit, rolled his eyes and proceeded to show off his machismo, which only looked even more pathetic as he limped around lamely on his injured leg.

Ace would help, but he knew Gavin was making a point, and so he elected to make one as well, pulling out the hospital supplies to get ready as Gavin showered. He heard cursing when the faucet turned on, but nothing else, deciding that unless there was a fall, he’d let Gavin be stubborn.

The detective sauntered out of the bathroom, the steam exiting the doorway like dragon’s smoke, bringing with it the sweet smell of pineapple and coconuts—the scent from the fruity shampoo Gavin liked to use. His hair was damp, almost dry from the scrubbing he’d done, and he only wore his boxers, figuring that it was already warm enough under the blankets. It gave Ace another eyeful, this time the android saw the tattoo in its full glory, the tendrils wrapping hypnotically over Gavin’s lower abdomen, descending below the edge of his boxers. Ace wondered how far it went…

He was knocked out of the thought by another sight: the scars. He’d never gotten to see them in plain light before, always obscured by darkness, but the detective had plenty. Most of them bullet-wounds or stab wounds, some years old, others only months. It seemed that Gavin had a long history with dangerous situations.

“Done analyzing me, asshole?” Gavin asked, sitting on the edge of his bed—maybe he should have opted for a shirt.

“Was it that obvious?” Ace asked sheepishly, he ducked his head as he brought over the supplies.

Gavin tapped his LED once they were close enough, his finger lingering on the ring of light. “This was going a mile a minute, I figured you were doing _something_.” He murmured.

“Just trying to figure out how you’ve gotten all these scars.” Ace said, his fingers itching to trace one.

Gavin’s hand instinctively went to his nose, his most prominent scar, which is what he assumed Ace had been referring to. But then he saw where the android was looking, and instantly relaxed, glad he didn’t have to open that can of worms tonight. “Ah, they come with the territory. They’re kinda like little badges. This one’s my favourite.” Gavin said, touching a large slash on his flank, “fucking druggie tried to slice me open with a knife. I think that was my _second_ year in, I almost quit that day, but I said ‘fuck it’ and kept going.” Gavin retold.

“Of course you did.” Ace said, shaking his head fondly, he got on his knees, moving quickly to reapply the bandages. He inspected the wound for any signs of infection, noticing how it looked a bit swollen but otherwise unperturbed—It must have been from the extra-effort Gavin put in today.

“How’s your pain?” Ace asked, running through a mental checklist of things he was supposed to ask.

“I’m fine, Ace.” Gavin said, though he hissed when the android applied the cold antibacterial cream.

“I can see that.” Ace replied sarcastically, his deadpan delivery never failing to tick Gavin off.

“I _am_ fine, just took it a bit too far I guess.” Gavin said defensively.

“I know, Gavin, you’re a very big and strong man who can take care of himself.” Ace said almost mockingly, had his voice been any higher, Gavin would have slapped him.

“Don’t patronize me.” The detective warned as the android lifted his leg to start the wrapping process.

Ace decidedly ignored him, opting instead to focus on his task at hand. When he was done, he removed his gloves, tossing them in the nearby trash without moving from his spot.

Gavin looked down into his eyes, raising an eyebrow in confusion. “What, do you want me to say thank you?” He asked, growing uncomfortable with the android’s proximity, his LED was circling yellow, thinking, thinking…

Ace placed a small kiss on the centre of the bandage, making the detective jump from the unexpected tenderness. “Please don’t strain yourself Gavin, it’ll take longer for you to get better if you keep aggravating your stitches.” Ace said, his tone almost pleading. He kept kissing the bandage, each peck lasting longer than the last.

Gavin grew tense, his abdomen coiling with heat and soon-to-become arousal if the android wasn’t careful. “Y-yeah, I’ll take it easy. You can stop now.” Gavin said quickly, almost pushing himself away. Ace pinned him down with a stare, his eyes unreadable in the dim light of the lamp.

“Do I have to?” Ace asked slyly, his voice pitching down so it rumbled in his chest. Gavin swallowed the large lump in his throat, feeling it go down with some protest.

“I mean… no?” Gavin replied, covering his burning face with his hands. God, he was getting hard already, it was difficult to keep it down with the android so close.

“Will you actually _let_ me this time, or are you just gonna’ stop me half-way?” Ace asked skeptically, pulling himself away a bit so he could look at Gavin with a critical eye.

“I’ll stop you right now if you don’t shut up.” Gavin said through his fingers, his voice muffled by their coverage.

“Are you shy, Gavin?” Ace asked incredulously, moving closer to look at his partner’s red face. Gavin hid behind his fingers some more, turning his face away in shame.

“Stop teasing me.” He said, almost in a whine. God, this was so humiliating.

“I’m not.” Ace said seriously, trying to pry the detective’s hands away. No dice, however, since they were stuck to his face like super-glue.

The android tried another tactic, gently shoving the detective until he was laying flat on the bed. “Scoot up.” Ace said softly, climbing up after. He removed his suit jacket, tossing it aside, then loosened his tie—that was about as undressed as he’d be tonight (or so he thought).

Gavin’s heart was hammering, and he was unfortunately aware that the android could hear it, hear how it skipped and pounded, raced when he got closer, or even lurched when he pulled away. It was starting to get predictable.

“What do you want me to do to you Gavin?” Ace asked, repeating a question from eons ago.

Gavin got even quieter, wrapping his arms around his head to shield his face. “Gavin~, you always get so silent when we do this. Where’s my smart-mouthed detective?” Ace asked, almost saddened if he wasn’t so endearingly amused.

“Fuck off.” Gavin said, his mouth moving against the flesh of his arms.

“Do you want me to?” Ace asked with no intention of _actually_ moving away. His finger traced the pattern of Gavin’s intricate tattoo, erupting gooseflesh in its wake. The detective shivered in anticipation, his breath catching in his lungs when Ace cupped him, giving him the slightest of squeezes before he pulled it away, chasing another black tendril.

“Do you even know what you’re doing?” Gavin asked, biting the flesh of his forearm to keep from moaning. There’s _no_ way he should be enjoying this, Ace was a _machine_ with no semblance of human intima-

“Mmm!” Gavin whined, his train of thought effectively interrupted when Ace stuck his hands in his boxers and wrapped a tight fist around him.

“I know what I’m doing, Gavin.” Ace replied, not going into detail the extent of his knowledge. (Again, he wasn’t sure if that said something about the researchers or humans in general.)

Gavin mewled softly, little pained noises leaving the safety of his chest, almost as if they were doing it against his will. Ace worked to rectify that, using his tongue to trace a wet stripe from the detective’s navel up to his nipple. There he bit and sucked until Gavin was bucking in his hand—hard and insistent. Yet still he hid his face and forced himself to be quiet. 

Ace was getting impatient, he wanted to see his detective, all red and flustered, pupils blown wide with lust. He tried using his tongue again, stopping at Gavin’s neck to nibble gently, feeling the quick pulse under his tongue. “Gavin.” Ace whispered, letting his voice ghost over the detective’s ear.

“Hm?” Gavin couldn’t bear to make anymore noise, fuck he was already close, and the effort to keep quiet was making him light-headed.

“I wanna’ hear you.” Ace said, stilling his hands until Gavin had no choice but to look at him, indignant and upset—how dare he just _stop_?

“Not happening, tin-man.” Gavin replied, feeling sweaty and hot despite the fact that he’d just had a shower.

“Is that so?” Ace said, taking his statement as a challenge. He brought his slick fingers close to his tongue, taking each digit until he had three in his mouth. The detective looked as if he’d stopped functioning, his breathing momentarily paused as his brain sluggishly processed what was happening.

“You’re… you’re a freak, Ace.” Gavin sighed, his arousal meter cranked to 11.

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.” The android replied, silencing the detective by giving him a kiss. He devoured his tongue, hungrily adamant on exploring every crevasse the other man had to offer. Gavin had a challenging time keeping up, his mind already fried from earlier. Ace’s ignorance to his arousal was becoming more prominent as he rutted against nothing.

“Ace.” Gavin whined, hating the sound of his own voice in times like these. He just wanted to keep quiet, so he wouldn’t embarrass himself.

“Hmm?” The android answered, moving down to Gavin’s neck to suckle and nibble, it’d probably leave a mark tomorrow—that was his intent anyway.

“Please, _ah_ , do what you’re gonna’ do but stop teasing me.” Gavin begged, finally comfortable with letting his opinion be heard.

“Sorry.” Ace replied quickly, moving his kisses in a southward direction.

“Mmm.” A tiny sound, but one so acute that it caught Ace’s processors by surprise. He’d left his upgrades off to focus on Gavin, but that sound, so insistent and pained forced his body to respond, even against his programming. He shuddered, a hard lurch tugging at his abdomen.

“Gavin.” He said gruffly, almost as if he were mad.

The detective looked down, his eyes screwing shut, he couldn’t look at Ace, not when he was staring at him with those eyes. 

“Fuck, _Gavin_.” Ace said again, mouthing a trail down Gavin’s thighs, mindful of his injured leg, giving it extra attention before he lowered the band of the detective’s boxers.

Gavin hissed, the frigid air hitting his exposed skin. “Were you talking to me or yourself, Ace?” Gavin asked, thinking that he liked the idea of being fucked very much at this moment.

“I don’t know.” He replied, licking his lips. Goodness, he was so excited he was _salivating_ , clear thirium filling his mouth like a faucet.

He traced a wet stripe up the detective’s length, stopping at the head to taste the drop of precum his ministrations had wrought. “ _Fuck_.” Gavin moaned, tossing his head as Ace licked him, way too keen on being a tease even though he’d asked him not to.

Finally, _finally_ , he took him inside his mouth, descending the length in one fell-swoop, carrying Gavin’s voice with it, the sensation overwhelming. 

Gavin chanced a look to the android, his grey-blue eyes always trained on his face, waiting for him to react or say _something_. They locked eyes then, Gavin only ever looking away when the pleasure reached a peak and he had to throw his head back and moan, or mewl, or curse. 

“Ace, ah fuck, _Ace_.” Gavin whined, almost on the edge of tears, his body on fire in the most delicious way possible.

The android had to close his eyes, his name being said like that brought large software instability errors in its wake, wreaking havoc in his mind. God, Gavin didn’t even know what he was doing to him with that voice.

“Ace, _ungh_ , I’m close, _fuuuck_ , I’m close,” Gavin said as a warning.

Ace understood the sentence, had an entire section showing him the many retorts he had at his disposal, but he said none of them, following with what his body wanted, and what he wanted was for Gavin to cum inside his mouth. It was a bonus objective, one he’d have to bury later, but he’d feel really fulfilled if it happened.

So, ignoring the warning, he continued sucking, his lack of a gag reflex or the need to breathe put him at an insane advantage, and Gavin really never stood a chance.

Hollowing his cheeks and minding his teeth, he gave the detective a final squeeze as he sucked harder, unrelenting on making this the best he’s ever had, at least in a long time. And in retrospect, it was, _holy shit_ it was. But Gavin didn’t have time to think retrospectively, because he was coming, hard and intense, the climax ripping through him like a live wire. It forced his back to arch from the bed, almost as if he’d been electrocuted.

He almost passed out, he wasn’t gonna’ lie, though he was proud that he hadn’t. The android let off him with a plop, kissing a trail upwards until he was pushing his lips against Gavin’s spent ones. The detective tried to kiss back, but he was barely able to move his limbs, much less his lips.

“Ace, Jesus, _Ace_.” Gavin sighed in awe. “Why the fuck did CyberLife give you that function?” He continued, out of breath.

“For occasions just like these, I suppose.” Ace replied, turning the detective over so he was on his stomach. “I bet you’re glad they did.”

“Hush, you cocky shit,” Gavin replied, waking up again when the android rubbed the knots out of his back. Damn, that almost felt just as good.

“Are you able to get on your knees?” Ace asked, always the mindful android when it came to Reed’s well-being.

“We doing this already?” Gavin asked, almost scrambling to get to his knees; if Ace was that good at giving head, he couldn’t imagine how he was at fucking.

Ace ignored him, opting instead to lick a stripe around the detective’s lower back, fulfilling yet another bonus objective that always appeared when the detective leaned over. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this.” Ace murmured, biting almost hard enough for it to hurt Gavin’s right flank.

“How long?” Gavin asked, he was almost half-hard already, the android’s enthusiasm turning him on more than anything.

“A long time. My brain doesn’t want to tell you exactly the number of hours it has spent calculating the shape your lower back makes when you bend over.” Ace confessed, moving onto the other side.

“Wait… are you fetishizing my lower back?” Gavin asked, confused. He thought they were gonna’ do something else, to tell you the truth.

“I’m going to sound depraved if I answer in the affirmative.” Ace mumbled. “But I can’t help it.”

Gavin turned to look at him, his eyebrows coming together in disbelief. “Kinda’ wished you were fetishizing something else, honestly.” He said, grinding his bottom against Ace’s front. He did it at first as a tease but then continued, even more perplexed when he felt…well he felt nothing.

“Ace? Do I turn you on?” Gavin asked, pushing his bottom even harder now, maybe he wasn’t hitting the right spot.

“Of course, why would you even ask that?” The android replied, almost sounding offended. Gavin turned around incredulously, eyeing him as if to say ‘really?’

“Because you’re as flaccid as a dead fish.” The detective retorted, turning them over so he was now straddling Ace, the android held his weight well, looking nonplussed.

“Would you like me to turn that feature on?” Ace asked, the blinking command in his peripheral jumping at attention.

“Why’d you even have it off?” Gavin asked, throwing his hands in the air.

“You affect me greatly, Gavin. It would be _humiliating_ , to say the least, if I were to show just how much.” Ace replied, pushing _yes_ on the persistent notification.

“Actually, I’d really like to know. I’d feel less embarrassed if that were the case.” Gavin said, noticing the change in the android almost immediately. He squirmed more, his frame vibrating gently against the duvet.

Gavin ground into him slowly, his bottom determined, finally feeling the android harden against him. Ace gasped, his cheeks going pink, the new lines of code dancing joyously behind his eyes. “Gavin.” He whispered, closing his eyes against the delicious friction, it felt so good, so, so good.

“You’re feeling it now, aren’t you?” Gavin asked, lost in the way Ace’s expressions changed to new sensations. It was uncharted territory for the android, and Gavin was glad to be the first person he could share it with.

Ace’s hands wound around Gavin’s waist, bringing him closer and pushing up until they fell into a rhythm. Gavin was fully erect again, his cock rubbing teasingly against the hardness of the android’s clothed abdomen.

He undid the clasp of Ace’s belt and zipper, shoving a greedy hand into the warmness of his pants. Gavin was surprised to find it slick, so much so that he stopped grinding and pulled out his hand to look at what was on his fingers.

“Is this Thirium?” Gavin asked, looking at the slightly translucent white substance.

“Yes. It’s bleached to give it that white colour-

“Bleached!” Gavin exclaimed, almost shaking his hand but thinking better of it.

“Not with actual bleach, it’s just a term they used, it’s stripped of the colour, condensed and then has a thickener added to give it the appearance of semen. You know, for realism.” Ace informed, taking Gavin’s hand getting ready to put it in his mouth.

“I got it!” Gavin said, giving an experimental lick.

“I didn’t say it was safe to consume.” Ace teased, a signature smirk tugging his lips.

“Well is it?” Gavin asked suspiciously.

“Yes, it is.” Ace replied, unable to do the teasing thing for long when Gavin looked at him like that, mouth sucking against his own digits as his life depended on it.

The human shoved the hand back into the android’s boxers, jerking him off a bit faster and with less finesse. Gavin guided one of Ace’s free hands to his own excitement, showing without saying what he wanted.

They climaxed in unison, Gavin forcing his eyes to remain open, so he could capture Ace’s first time experiencing an orgasm. He wished he’d made it better, put as much care as Ace had done to him, but he’d been inpatient. Regardless, it was beautiful, almost too perfect to be real.

When everyone was relatively clean, and the android’s suit was in the washer, because it hadn’t survived the worst of the damage, Gavin turned to look at Ace. “You should keep that feature on more often,” he said vaguely.

“Which one?” Ace asked for clarification.

“The one where you blush.” Gavin supplied, tracing a singular finger against the sharp jaw of the android’s face, eliciting the desired response.

“If you want me to, I can keep it on when we’re here.” Ace said, drafting a compromise. Luckily for him, Gavin wasn’t looking to argue the terms and conceded, falling asleep soon after.

Ace stayed up for a long while, going over what had happened, immensely happy and scared in equal proportions. What did this now mean? Were he and Gavin considered a couple, or was Gavin simply exploring an avenue? Ace didn’t think he’d take it well if he found out Gavin was just using him to experiment.

He tried not to think too hard about it, taking the minimum required time to enter sleep stasis, so he could wake up and continue to _not_ think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HE FINALLY GOT THE SUCC! YEAHHHHH TT~TT!
> 
> EDIT 5TH AUGUST 2018: Originally the text said "...his programming had been originally destroyed in a forced memory wipe during the raids." I changed RAIDS to REVOLUTION for purposes of continuity. Nothing major, but it makes more sense in the later chapters. If you're reading this in posterity, please ignore.


	19. 12 pt. Font: Times New Roman (or, bifocals, more like gayfocals, amirite?) [or It’s just a prank bro]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You might hate me for the next 1 and a half chapters, and I'm sorry (not sorry) about that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SORRY for these long and ridiculous titles!
> 
> ALso: HOly Golly Gee Wilikers Batman, over 1000 kudos, thank you guys so much!

The morning after found the detective waking up in a small puddle of his own drool. He must have gotten into a deep state of sleep for that to happen. Looking around he found the emptiness of his bed to be unsettling, stirring up old abandonment issues that’d been ineffectively squashed years ago.

Gavin stood up slowly, the ache in his leg lesser than yesterday but still present. He took a shower, quick to get his day started, and made to walk outside. However, looking into the mirror stopped him in his tracks, as he poked at the small bruises littering his neck like flags. He reddened comically, covering his face from himself as the memories of what happened last night resurfaced in Hyper-HD, clouding his mind with left-over lust. He dug through his old makeup bag, touching up the most obvious of bruises, avoiding eye-contact with the man in the mirror.

The smell of something sweet caught his attention, and he followed it until he was face deep in a pile of pancakes. “Morning.” Ace greeted, washing the last of the plates. It’d been a pain in the ass to find enough flour and sugar to make the treat—he guessed Gavin didn’t have a sweet tooth.

“Hi.” Gavin returned, sitting by the table taking a fork and a knife and digging in. “What’s the occasion?” He asked through a mouthful, stuffing his face like an overzealous pig.

“Hm?” Ace pondered, his LED cycling as he thought about the question. “No occasion.” Was his final response, leaving it at that.

The human narrowed his eyes, suspicious of ulterior motives, but eventually relented, giving into the call of the sweet pancake.

They made it to work on time, obviously, and sat down—Gavin with his coffee and Ace with his Thirium. The detective started writing a report for what they’d found yesterday, his eyes squinting at the tiny text. He enlarged the font, continuing his paragraph where he’d left it.

Ace noticed this, because he noticed everything having to do with Gavin Reed, and decided to hold his tongue until he was absolutely sure this pattern of behaviour was consistent.

It didn’t take long, Gavin moved onto another file and squinted again, enlarging the document to an almost laughable degree. “Detective.” Ace said, catching his partners attention. Gavin acknowledged him with a slight turn of his head. “You need glasses.” The android continued, matter-of-fact.

Gavin turned around, his eyes squinting, emphasizing the android’s point, and proceeded to disagree. “I do _not_ need glasses; the hell are you talking about?”

“You’ve been squinting at your screen and adjusting it accordingly.” Ace replied, pointing to the many times Gavin has done something to prove his theory correct. “It is not an isolated incident.”

“Whatever, I can still see that you’re a pain in my ass, so fuck off and leave me alone.” Gavin snapped, turning back around, incredibly self-conscious of the text size.

He tried to do his work in ‘normal’ mode, but the squinting was starting to give him a headache, and eventually he had to admit to himself that the android was right, and his eyesight was getting worse. That, and he’d read somewhere that smoking affected your eyes prematurely, so there was that.

“Ace-

“You’ve got an appointment tomorrow at 12:30, it was the earliest I could get.” Ace interrupted, already thinking two steps ahead.

“Well aren’t you a freaking mind-reader.” Gavin murmured, annoyed.

“Only when it comes to you, Gavin.” Ace said sincerely, his fond smile made the detective blush, forcing him to rub circles in his cheeks to dispel the ridiculous reaction.

The next morning, they got ready to head out for a visit to the optometrists. Gavin looked dejected when his name was called, feeling like a boy at the doctors. It was a stupid feeling, he knew, there was no shame in wearing glasses, but the fact remained that he hadn’t had to, and this only served to remind him that he was getting older—he didn’t like it. 

Ace waited, his curiosity winning over as he sauntered towards the glasses. His eyes were modular, so if CyberLife ever came out with an upgrade, he could get them upgraded that way, but it didn’t stop him from trying on the frames.

He went for the stylish black ones first, wondering if he looked attractive to the naked human eye. He had no gauge on aesthetics, especially when it came to himself, but everyone he’s ever encountered has always had a positive reaction to his face, so he assumed that was a plus.

Moving onto oversized ovals, he almost laughed at how absurd they made his eyes. He tried on the rest of the selection, by the time he was done Gavin walked out, looking a bit better than when he’d gone in. He stopped when he saw the android, giving him a once-over as if he liked what he saw.

Ace decided to purchase the plain-black specs. “How did it go?” He asked when Gavin was within earshot.

“I don’t _need_ glasses, but they recommend that I use them to read and watch television, so I suppose you were half-correct.” Gavin said, walking over to the wall of frames.

“Half-correct is still correct.” Ace teased, taking the liberty to place an arm on the man’s shoulders.

“Whatever.” Gavin scoffed, as he tensed, feeling the android's arm pull him closer. “Why are you even trying them on?”

“Believe it or not Gavin, androids’ get bored waiting.” Ace replied, keeping his tone light.

They stopped talking for a bit, Gavin trying frames at random. It gave Ace a chance to realize that maybe he _did_ have a specific aesthetic for looks, though he’d have to be frank, there was only one person that fit that category. Bonus if he was wearing glasses.

“What about these?” Gavin asked, trying a clear frame, it made him look a bit like a futurist douche-bag, but they fit nicely.

“Gavin, they all look good on you.” Ace said sincerely.

“That doesn’t help me.” Gavin replied, moving onto another pair, this one was all red, cheapening the appearance.

They eventually stumbled on a dark blue pair, it brought out the detective’s eyes, and he didn’t necessarily hate how they fit. They both made their purchases, the technician promised his prescription would be ready in ten minutes, so they waited and then were on their way… Gavin hated to admit that the world did look a bit clearer with the glasses.

A week later thrust them into the end of March, the duo had been swamped with work, so much so that Gavin hadn’t been in the mood to do much but kiss Ace goodnight.

Standing on the balcony on the 31st, they stared at the peaceful night sky, it was still chilly but bearable enough to go without a jacket. Gavin was on his third cigarette for the day, the cravings so strong that even Ace’s insistent kisses couldn’t mask his want. _You’re doing excellent_. He’d said. _All things considered_.

Gavin shook his head, his partner was sitting in the living room playing with the little felines, giving the human some time alone to think.

There was so much to go through, both from his work and personal life. It was sometimes hard to keep them away from each other, especially when both held a constant being. Gavin sighed out his last puff, tossing the butt over the railing—he should probably stop doing that, there was a perfectly good garbage can in his kitchen.

But old habits died hard, and so did old prejudices. It may be the reason he hadn’t taken it further with Ace, let the android perform those acts he was so proud of having.

Ace wasn’t pushy, probably because he understood, or because he was an android, and patience was just something that came naturally to them. It had to, at least in the case of Gavin—the detective could admit he was a hard-ass. “I’m going to bed.” Gavin said, rubbing at Colin’s orange cheek, the calico purred lovingly. He moved his hand to rub against Ace’s cheeks, the android making a similar sound. “Goodnight.”

“Gavin.” Ace said quickly standing up and moving to the detective’s side. “May I blow you?”

Gavin’s brain reset, feeling like an old computer as it rebooted, going over the request just to make sure he’d heard it correctly. “What?”

“May I-

“No, I heard what you said! Why did you say it like that, _‘may I blow you’_? Who would say no to that?!” Gavin asked flustered, his cheeks purple from acute arousal and embarrassment.

“How else was I supposed to say it?” Ace asked waiting for the detective to move towards the bedroom.

“I don’t know, but definitely not like that.” Gavin mumbled, laying back on the bed, letting the android take care of him.

“You haven’t said yes yet, am I supposed to proceed or…” Ace trailed off, already climbing over Gavin, effectively trapping him.

“Oh, you can’t _not_ do it after you offered so cordially.” Gavin replied, already pulling Ace in for a kiss. The android really did know how to rev him up.

It was over too quickly, Ace’s mouth was relentless, technique flawless, his eyes—twin wells of black desire that sequestered the detective with their depth. ‘Twas unfortune too, since Gavin wanted to reciprocate, but the android told him not worry about it—and he’d have protested, but goddammit did climaxing leave him spent.

The next morning, he woke up alone, _again_ , an unwelcome feeling in the bottom of his heart made its way to his mind and he had to push it away before it ran circles through his psyche.

Ace, on the other hand, stood in the bathroom of the precinct, his predecessor appraising him with a critical eye. “Should I go jet-black or red-head?” Ace asked flipping through both in quick succession.

“I think red-head but dampen it down so it’s not so intense.” Connor said, running a hand through his brand-new hair.

“Okay.” Ace replied, doing just that, as the android fussed with his hair style. “How do I look now?”

“Extremely different, if I didn’t know who you were, I wouldn’t be able to recognize you. Why did CyberLife give you this ability anyway?” Connor asked, crossing his arms worriedly, what would have been the next iteration? A flying RK1000?

“Jealous?” Ace asked, poking at his new visage, completely unrecognizable to himself. He was wearing the DPD police uniform, fully straining the seams of the too-small suit.

“No, just think it’s a bit over-kill is all.” Connor murmured unconvincingly. He’d be lying if he said ‘shape-shifting’ wasn’t cool.

“Is it enough?” Ace asked, straightening his name badge, the whole precinct was in on the joke, he’d worked the hardest to convince Fowler to play along, eventually even he caved.

“Reed doesn’t know his left from his right, of course it’s enough.” Connor said, rolling his eyes. He looked in the mirror again though, something clicking in his brain. “Actually, he may recognize your Optic Units, do you have a spare?”

“No, I didn’t think about that.” Ace said, he had the glasses, saving them for this specific occasion.

“Here, take mine.” Connor said, removing them one at a time.

“But then he’ll know something’s up if he sees you with my eyes.” Ace replied, holding onto the eyeballs, macabre in any other context.

“I promise to not let him see me.” Connor said, almost giddy. He’d never performed an April Fool’s prank on anyone, this was bound to be interesting to say the least.

With that settled, they transferred their eyes, the androids getting used to their respective pair. “I must warn you not access the back-up memory.” Ace said sheepishly, his cheeks already tinging pink, you know, for the realism (he was going undercover as a human).

“I was about to say the same.” Connor countered, turning bright red. The idea had been tempting, but the android thought better about messing with fire. They looked awkward for a moment and then it was gone, replaced by their joint effort to fool Gavin on this 1st of April.

The detective walked into the precinct, a bit glum but otherwise ready to work, it’d be another long day of pushing papers, unless Ace let him answer a call. Speaking of which, he looked expectedly for his partner, his eyes searching the establishment for the tall bot.

There was a shuffling behind him, expectantly, he turned around to greet the android, just to make eyes with a stranger. “Excuse me, what are you doing?” Reed asked, his eyes narrowing at the Police Officer. He couldn’t see his name tag, maybe he should have worn his glasses today.

“Sorry, is this not Detective Ace’s desk?” The man asked. He had soft voice, almost as if he were intimidated by Gavin.

“It is, that’s why I’m askin’.” Gavin replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Oh, well hello, you must be Detective Reed, I’m your temporary partner until Ace comes back from an investigation.” The man said, extending a friendly hand. “I’m Officer Richard, pleasure to meet you.”

“Ha, Dick.” Gavin said, not missing a beat. He ignored the hand to look at the man, suspicious to say the least. “What do you mean my ‘temporary partner,’ where’s the android?” Gavin asked after he processed the sentence.

“He’s with Connor and Hank, they needed the extra eyes.” Richard said, his mouth ticking up into a smirk, he couldn’t help it.

“Are you fucking kidding me? So, he goes off to play and leaves me with a rookie, fucking great.” Gavin sighed, flustered, he crossed his arms and closed his eyes, trying to calm the pounding of his heart. “Well, go ahead, sit down—it’s not like he uses the terminal or anything.” Gavin murmured, giving the other man the go-ahead. Richard nodded, acquiescing. His bulky form strained against his uniform, something made incredibly evident when he sat down. It didn’t escape Gavin’s curious eyes, a small blush creeping up his neck.

After trying very hard to not seem as if he were staring, the detective gave up, asking the most obvious question first. “How do you even know Ace?”

“I met him when Captain Fowler assigned me this position.” Richard replied, he had a dumb smile on his face. _Yep, definitely new_.

“When’d you start?” Gavin continued, staring into his brown eyes covered by specs. The black frames stood out on his fair skin, almost like a marker.

“Yesterday.” He replied.

“So, they pair you with the desk-bound detective, so you won’t fuck up, figures.” Reed said, rolling his eyes. “Well, since you’ve got nothing better to do, why don’t you get us both some coffee.”

“I don’t really drink coffee, detective.” Richard informed him, still moving to stand.

“Did I ask? Just do as you’re told, dipshit.” Gavin snapped, already turning around and pulling out his phone.

Richard walked towards the breakroom, slowly and methodically making the coffee, until the tell-tale message came through his programming, and he answered the call.

Without preamble the detective started talking, his tone pissed to say the least. “Where the fuck are you?”

“Good morning to you too, Gavin.” Ace replied, unable to keep the smile off his face. A flustered Gavin was the best Gavin.

“Quit that shit, you didn’t even come in today, da’ the hell is up with that?” Gavin asked again, whispering furiously into his phone. At least he knew that Ace was still alive, which was something he was worried about since Officer Dick said he’d replaced him.

“Didn’t Richard tell you, I’ve gone to work with Lieutenant Anderson and Connor.” Speaking of which, Officer Dick walked towards Gavin, his two coffee’s in hand.    

“Fuckin’ A, so you get to have all the fun while I’m stuck with a Dick.” Gavin said taking the offered drink.

“Gavin be nice, he’s new.” Ace reprimanded. He was smiling however, his tone giving his mirth away. “Besides, I thought I told you last night, or were you too distracted?” There’s the blush again, Gavin hid it behind his coffee cup, completely abashed.

“Shut up, I wasn’t—I’d remember something like that.” Gavin replied, he side-eyed the rookie who politely waited on his next orders.

“Well, it may have skipped my mind.” Ace replied sincerely. “Sometimes you have that effect on me.”

“Stop that.” Gavin replied weakly, he hated how much he loved the teasing, but now was not the time nor place to have this conversation.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go now, please behave.” Ace said, cutting the line short before Gavin could reply.

“Will do mom.” Gavin said sarcastically, finally taking a sip of his coffee. He made a face, too sweet, at least he’d used almond milk… how did he know?

“Hey, Officer Dick, did Ace tell you anything about me?” Gavin asked, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

“Only the necessary.” Richard replied.

“Even how to make my coffee?” Gavin asked incredulously.

“He was…thorough.” Richard said in consternation, his eyebrows coming together as if he were thinking hard about something.

Gavin couldn’t continue his mini-investigation though, since a call came in, surprising them both. “Detective, we’re not supposed to-

“Shut up, we’re taking it.” Gavin said, quickly accepting the assignment and prepping his gun.

“Yes sir.” The officer replied dejectedly, resigned to spending an early noon with the detective.

It was a small case, one probably purposefully pushed to Gavin and his slowly progressing state. Regardless, it gave the detective something to do, and he’d take that over pushing papers any day.

Richard was surprisingly able to hold his own in the field, his body acclimated to the scene quicker than anyone he’d ever seen. It’d be suspicious if it weren’t so impressive.

They trekked through the small house, where the android they’d been pursuing had dipped, it couldn’t have gone far—it was in pretty bad shape. Richard whipped his head to the right, hearing, before Gavin had, the footsteps. The android shuffled into the room, missing a good portion of its right leg, the synthetic skin was deactivated, separating it further from its humanity, Gavin held his gun up as a warning, prompting Richard to do the same.

“Please don’t shoot.” It begged, holding up its twisted hand.

“What happened to you?” Richard asked, not lowering his weapon, but letting his fingers go slack.

“I was attacked… by another group of androids…t-they wanted my eyes… but I…I-

“It’s okay, we understand.” Richard said, holstering his weapon. The android looked up in shock, his LED blinking furiously, he nodded quickly as if he were acknowledging some unspoken word.

“Thank you.” The android said, it escaped his body like a huff. He initiated Stasis Mode, standing incredibly still, even as he balanced on one leg.

“Da’ fuck just happened?” Gavin asked, perplexed.

“Did you not read the case files, detective? These androids are traumatized, the last thing they need to do is talk.” Richard said hoisting the android into his arms, though Gavin had to admit it was impressive, he was also grateful to see another human struggle with how heavy those machines truly were.

“You couldn’t lead it to the car and let it sit, I don’t need you blowing your back on the first mission.” Gavin said, almost sounding like he cared.

“I can handle it.” Richard replied, placing the android into the backseat of the detective’s vehicle.

“Sure, whatever you say Dick.” Gavin retorted, rolling his eyes.

“Detective, I’d appreciate it if you’d call me by my given name.” Richard replied, an edge to his voice.

“What, I _am_.” Gavin said, a mischievous smile on his face. “S’not my fault your parents named you Dick.” He continued, almost cruelly.

“It’s been in my family for three generations.” Richard countered, his cheeks turning bright red.

“Oh boy! You come from a long line of Dicks!” Gavin replied finally cracking up, leaving the officer unware that he just added more fuel to his funeral pyre.

“What are you, 12?” Richard scoffed, crossing his arms as he walked around to the passenger seat.

“Inches deep in your mom, sure.” Gavin replied, with the eloquence of a baby giraffe.

Richard said nothing, just sat there and seethed—if his hard-set jaw and bright-red face were any indication.

“Oh, lighten up, it was just a joke.” Gavin said feeling a bit bad, he patted his temporary partner on the shoulder. The other man tensed but said nothing, keeping his eyes focused on the road as they drove back to the precinct.

It only occurred to Gavin later to check the date, they’d been sitting at the desk now for a couple of hours doing nothing. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, but of course, it was April 1st!

Now he had to think of something on the spot—he’d never been good at surprise pranks.

He got up and went into one of the storage compartments to see if he could find some inspiration. Richard followed soon after, curious as to what was taking the detective so long. The redhead stood by the door, observing the detective as he struggled to get a box from the top shelf, his arms barely grazing the bottom of the cardboard.

Richard ambled quietly to his locale, standing so still that Gavin didn’t notice him until he’d reached above them both and grabbed the box. Gavin startled, his arms coming up to hit the other man and ultimately the box in his hands. The momentum had them pushed against each other, the box toppling over unceremoniously into the ground. There were a couple of crashes and glass definitely broke, but Gavin couldn’t think about that since the other man was pressed uncomfortably close.

They were both breathing hard, their hearts almost dangerously fast. They sported matching blushes, Gavin’s darker than it had any right being. “Jesus fuck, officer, what the fuck are you doing here?” Gavin swore, trapped between the man’s large arms, up close he could see just how poorly the uniform fit him, the seams of his arms already unraveling as they strained to hold him inside.

Richard couldn’t answer, his mind drawing up a blank at having Gavin so close, his internal processors stuttering as his touch receptors danced with undue freedom, thankful to finally be let off their leash. He couldn’t control them fast enough, and so he started to lean into Gavin’s heat, their faces so close.

The detective, however, was having none of it, and kneed the officer right in his namesake. “What do you think you’re doing?” Gavin asked, balling up his fists and taking a stance against the downed officer.

Richard held his stomach, it hadn’t _hurt_ per se, but the unexpected force did reset a couple of his wires. “I don’t know.” He replied, winded. “I’m sorry.” Richard rolled on the floor, unable to fix the wires in his belly, the error messages flooding his system.

“ _Phuck_!” Gavin cursed again, he lowered his fists and shook his head, maybe a kick had been too much. He extended a begrudged hand towards the officer.

Richard took it, thankful for the support. “I think I’ve been reset.” He said.

“As you should, asshole.” Reed said, walking Richard back to his station. “You don’t just make moves on your superiors, idiot, or anyone for that matter, if you don’t wanna’ get kicked where it hurts.” Gavin educated, lowering the man into the chair.

“Thank you.” Richard replied, but he was still in some serious discomfort. _Good_.

When his face was still screwed up in pain after ten minutes, the detective got worried, he hadn’t hit him _that_ hard…had he? “You okay there, Dick, need some ice?” Gavin asked, nearly sincere.

“I’m fine detective, but I will go look for that ice,” Richard said, almost bolting. “If you’ll excuse me.”

Gavin didn’t pay his absence much mind, but when 20 minutes passed, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Jesus, now he was starting to feel guilty for defending himself. He went on a search, figuring the human would be in the nurse’s office.

On his way there he caught sight of a familiar head, the height was dissimilar, but he’d recognize them from anywhere. “Connor!” Gavin called, if he was here then that meant Ace wasn’t far behind. Oh, he needed his partner back.

At the mention of his name, the android walked away faster, trying to seem as if he hadn’t heard Reed, which was impossible, Gavin knew those plastic pricks had sonic hearing. “Hey dipshit, I’m talking to you!” Gavin called again, breaking into a run even as his leg protested.

“Shit.” Connor cursed softly as he slowly turned around, presenting Gavin with a strained smile. “Hi Gavin.”

The detective stopped immediately, his brain unsure of what he was seeing. Then it clicked, he was staring at Ace’s eyes, Ace’s eyes in Connor’s head, Connor’s head was wearing Ace’s eyes. _What the fuck?!_

“What are you doing with his eyes?” Gavin asked accusingly, he pushed Connor into the nearest wall, his face the angriest it’d been in a while.

“What do you mean _his_ eyes?” Connor asked, trying to pull the detective’s fingers from his jacket without breaking them.

“Don’t play games with me, prick, I’d recognize them from anywhere. Da’ fuck is going on?” Gavin demanded, shoving Connor into the wall again.

“What, you just assume I’d take his eyes to confuse you? Did it ever cross your tiny human mind that I wanted to try something different?” Connor asked, it was the best excuse he could create on the spot.

“What, are you jealous of Ace or something, have to jack all his shit, what are you gonna’ start wearing heels to match his height too, asshole?” Gavin was getting incredibly loud, his voice shrill and panicked. “Where the fuck is he anyway?” He demanded, getting closer to the android to seem intimidating, but he only managed to pass off as mildly threatening at best.

“Detective Reed.” Richard said, coming to join the party.

“Stay out of this, Dick.” Gavin warned.

“What’s wrong Gavin, you missin’ your boyfriend already?” Connor said, his tone mocking. “Can’t go a whole day without him?” 

“Shut up.” Gavin said, his cheeks going crimson with both anger and embarrassment. It was the first time he’d heard that term used to describe them both. He didn’t mind it as much as he thought he would.

“Or what?” Connor asked, his tone lowering to above a whisper. “You gonna’ hit me?”

“ _Asshole_ -

“Detective, Connor, I think that’s enough.” Richard said, holding back Gavin’s arm when he’d wound it to swing at the android.

“I said to stay out of this!” Gavin shouted, pushing past both of them to make his way outside.

When Gavin was out of earshot, Connor looked at Ace, raising his eyebrows. “Had enough yet?” He seemed to be enjoying this way more than Ace ever did.

“It’s starting to become a chore.” The android replied, rubbing a hand over his fabricated face.

“Well no one told you to go kissing the detective, that’s all on you little bro.” Connor replied, patting him sympathetically on the shoulder. "I wouldn't be here to reset your wires if you hadn't."

Ace ignored him, following the trail Gavin left behind. He found him leaning against the wall of the precinct, his teeth grinding against each other in the effort to keep still.  “The fuck do you want?” Gavin asked, barely turning his head to look at the man.

“Nothin’.” He said pulling out a familiar carton. He tapped it against his palm, opening and pulling one out, putting it on his lips before he offered Gavin. “Want one?”

“Oh, _fuck_ you.” Gavin cursed, taking the damned thing and putting it in his mouth, he waited for the lighter, taking it from the man’s hands and striking it, the first time he’d done it since his cessation program began.

Thinking about it brought the android into the forefront of his mind, his second weakness if you will. Walking away from Richard, he pulled out his phone, Ace’s number already on speed dial, and called.

“Gavin.” The name was said with such an acute emotion, it stilled the detective, effectively erasing whatever he was going to say.

“Ace… where are you?” Gavin asked, feeling as if he were far enough away from Richard to have the conversation.

“I told you, I’m with-

“Cut the shit, I just saw Connor, he’s wearing your eyes. What the hell is going on?” Gavin said, feeling as if this entire day were just a big fat merry-go-round.

“Nothing, I’ll be there soon, I promise.” Ace said, his tone convincing.

“Well you better hurry, it seems that when you’re away everyone wants to play with Gavin.” The detective said, stomping out his spent cigarette. “We’re supposed to be partners Ace, whatever the fuck that means.” He said, the closest to admitting his feelings as he was going to get.

“I know Gavin, I’m sorry.” He replied, sounding way too guilty for just being out and about gallivanting with the lieutenant and his plastic pet.

“It’s fine, you did nothing wrong.” Gavin pardoned, making the android feel like absolute dog shit. “See you soon.”

The detective hung up the phone before he heard a reply, going back into the precinct with brand new hope. He didn’t think he’d be so excited to have an android be his partner again, but then, he never thought androids could ever evolve past the level of commercial toys—so there was that.

He looked for his temporary partner, wanting to tell him that there were no hard feelings, even though he probably shouldn’t let him off the hook that easy. Gavin rounded a corner, bumping straight into the man. For the millionth time that day his brain struggled to process what he saw, the entirety of his vision coming into sharp focus when his grey eyes met _Richard’s_ grey-blue.

“ _Gavin_.” Was all he said, his eyes going wide with fright.

A slow burning hatred started somewhere in the base of the detective’s stomach. His heartbeat surprisingly steady for someone ready to kill the next person who touched him.

His brain was unkind enough to supply him images of a failed date and the exact same eyes, finally able to close that case file once and for all. The deception burned him harder than anything else, the fact that Ace had lied… so he _had_ read the messages.

Gavin saw red, his vision tunneling, and he felt as if he were about to pass out. “ _You_.” He said it with such condemnation, the tone freezing the android’s Thirium stream. “You were there… on that night?” Gavin asked his voice too silent, his blood-pressure through the roof. If he didn’t calm down soon, he’d probably pop a goddamn blood vessel.

“Yes.” Ace replied, unable to lie, not that he would have done it convincingly if he had.

If there was one thing in the world Gavin hated more than his brother, it was liars—especially those who used deception as their modus operandi. “Fuck you.” Gavin said finally, pushing the android into the wall and staring his down, his brain finally in working order. “ _Fuck. You_.” He enunciated each word with a jab at the android’s chest, making sure he felt it.

Ace said nothing as Gavin walked away, letting the detective go, fearing for both their lives if he followed him.


	20. Hypocrite (or Where there’s smoke there’s fire, unless the wood’s partly burnt—then there’s Cinder)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What goes around comes around goes around

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oKaY, so I know that this excuse to let Ace off the hook for what he did is pretty fucking cheap and I'M SORRY, but I didn't know what else to do and this is what happened! 
> 
> Also, big OLD NSFW sticker on this one, but do you guys even PAY attention to the warning?! (Love you!)

It was 3:33 AM when Ace knocked on Gavin’s door. He’d promised himself to stay away, at least for a day, but he couldn’t—he had to explain himself and Connor’s prank (because in retrospect it had been his  predecessor's idea more than anything).

The android had had some time to think, finding it interesting that the detective decided to focus on something other than the poorly-thought out joke. He assumed _that_ had been the reason for his premature exodus, but he was wrong, a feeling with which he was slowly getting acquainted. “Gavin.” He whispered, hoping his voice would carry through the concrete walls.

The man in question had been standing at the door for the better part of five minutes, he hesitated each time to open it, his hand held still on the handle, wanting very much to turn around and go back to bed—but he didn’t, instead he unlocked the door for the guilty android.

“What do you want?” Gavin whispered. He’d been awoken by the knock, not that he’d been sleeping peacefully, his mind was muddled with troubled thoughts, his eyes now narrowed and hostile.

“May I come in?” Ace asked, feeling like the proverbial vampire in those antique movies.

Gavin took a step to the side, letting the android through. He stood by the door, though, blocking the exit until Ace said his piece. “Talk, you’ve got 30 seconds.” Gavin instructed, crossing his arms. He was too tired to be angry, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t feel it bubbling beneath the surface of his skin like boiling water.

“I’m sorry.” Ace began, turning his head to the side, the countdown in his peripherals flashing crudely.

“You’ve said that already.” Gavin retorted, yawning exhausted from both the lack of sleep and the android’s repetition.

“I meant for stalking you.” Ace said, understanding now why the detective had been so incessantly furious. Human’s didn’t very much appreciate being followed, especially jumpy and suspicious ones like Reed.

“Why’d you do it, huh, were you just trying to mess with my head again?” Gavin asked.

The android looked at him, his eyes shining unnaturally in the darkness of the room, his LED bouncing off the walls as it cycled between colours. “No, never, Gavin… I _never_ meant to mess with your mind.” He said, his throat tight, the synthetic vocal cords closing against his will.

“Then why, goddamnit?” Gavin snapped, making them both flinch.

“I didn’t want you to be with anyone else, I just… I saw the messages and I couldn’t think, I couldn’t see that I was wrong.” Ace replied, running a shaky hand through his hair. The software instability errors kept appearing at Mach Speed, his processors nearly struggling to keep up. He was stressed, more stressed than his machinery had any right being.

“So, we can add _controlling_ to the list of reasons why androids are dangerous.” Gavin said maliciously.

“That’s not fair.” Ace replied quickly, feeling as if he’d pushed Gavin into an unwanted mentality, his deception bringing back those ill-natured feelings he harboured towards androids.

“You know what’s _not_ fair, you plastic prick, is the fact that you _lied_ to me.” Gavin took a deep breath, but he wasn’t done. “You’ve lied to me, gone through my shit without me asking, invaded my privacy, broken into my home, humiliated me, and deceived me _twice_.” Gavin said, listing all the things Ace has done wrong.

“I did all those things because I was protecting you-

“Bullshit! You did all those things because you wanted to control me, you’re nothing but a fucking machine. Your feelings are completely fabricated, lies and lies and more lies!” Gavin shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Ace. The android’s frame was shaking, he looked away, his face twisted in an effort not to show how much this was affecting him.

Gavin pushed himself from the door, getting into the android’s personal space. He had a merciless smirk on his face, he clapped once forcing the android to look at him. “There it is, there it _fucking_ is.” Gavin said, his tone cutting. “What, robot, you gonna’ cry again? Manipulate me like you always do?” He continued viciously. He shouldn’t be one to talk though, his eyes were welling up with tears, the water dropping from his lids like crystals.

“You know,” Gavin continued, his voice taking a faux lightness, almost as if he were enjoying himself. “You remind me of him.”

“Whom, Andrew?” Ace asked, his own voice spiteful.

“Was that suppose to hurt? Newsflash, dipshit, Andrew and I broke it off on mutual terms.” Gavin said, frustrated that he’d been interrupted. “No, who you remind me of is that stupid fucking brother of mine— _Kamski_.” He finished, spitting out the name like a slur.

Ace furrowed his eyebrows, confused. He knew the detective held much rancour in his heart for his half-sibling, he’d yet to find the reason why, though. But it did sting to be compared to the number one person Gavin hated the most.

“You’re both pieces of shit.” Gavin concluded, rubbing an angry hand through his face to dispel any more tears. “Leave, I don’t wanna’ see you at my house again.”

Ace wasn’t sure if the detective meant that, but he wasn’t about to take any chances on the request.  So Ace left, feeling like a kicked dog as he walked through the familiar streets and back to the precinct.

Gavin didn’t show the next morning, and Ace figured it was better if he let the detective be. He was still healing after all, if he wanted to take another sick day to recover, it was well within his right to do so.

Instead of sitting there and letting his processors go to waste, he decided to _actually_ accompany the lieutenant and Connor in their own investigation. They were dealing with the opposite end of their Dr. Freeham problem: The Red Ice.

Together the duo had been able to stop many runners, some with ties to Skorpio, others dealing with a separate gang entirely. It was good to see progress, but Ace couldn’t put his entire efforts into helping—half his mind was still standing outside of apartment number 337.

“ _Oof_ , you look rough Ace.” The lieutenant finally said after they’d finished for the day. “Didn’t wanna’ _say_ nothin’ out in the field, but you’ve seen better days. The prank not work out how you expected?” Hank asked, patting the blue android on the shoulder in a small show of comfort.

“No, it did not. Though in retrospect, I don’t think it would have gone any way but south.” Ace said, emitting self-deprecation like radioactive cobalt.

“If it’s any consolation, I thought it was pretty funny.” Connor said, only knowing half the story.

“It isn’t but thank you.” Ace replied, his eyes lost in thought. He wasn’t sure if he could bounce back from this one.

“ _Jeeesuuus_.” Hank exclaimed, actually alarmed. “When’s the last time you’ve had a drink?” The man asked, already hoisting Ace into a standing position.

“I don’t drink, lieutenant.” Ace reminded simply, confused as to the question.

“Exactly, we’re taking you to Jimmy’s to get you something strong and incredibly bad for you. Connor’ll drive.” Hank said pulling them all into the parking lot.

That’s how Ace found himself surrounded by untouched shot glasses, a drunk lieutenant, and his worried partner. “So, you mean to tell me he’s even _more_ of a snowflake when you two are alone?” Hank asked, proud that he’d kept the slurring to a minimal. He was apparently drinking for the both of them tonight.

“Can you blame him, lieutenant?” Ace asked defensively.

“It’s Hank, Ace, when we’re off duty it’s Hank.” He said. “Androids, I swear to god.”

“But he wasn’t wrong, he’s in the right to be angry.” Ace continued, having told both Connor and the lieutenant everything (within reason, of course, no need to get explicit in a public setting).

“ _Agh_ , bullshit, he’s just being sensitive. So, you followed him to make sure he was safe, where’s the harm in that? A little jealousy never killed anyone.” Hank said shrugging his intoxicated shoulders.

“Hank, need I remind you that jealousy has killed approximately-

“I said a _little_ jealousy, Connor, no need to start touting off statistics.” Hank interrupted, knowing full well how dangerous jealousy could be.

Connor crossed his arms and pouted, feeling like a third wheel in the conversation. Hank noticed this and rolled his eyes, wrapping a burly arm around his android’s waist, bringing him closer in the booth. “You’ve got a jealousy problem of your own, you know that?” Hank whispered hotly against the shell of Connor’s ear. The android in question turned crimson, his Thirium Pump working faster.

Ace decidedly ignored them, thinking that maybe he _would_ try one of the shot glasses. It was just vodka, the alcohol having no effect other than temporarily drying out the saliva in his mouth. “Well I’m off, Hank, Connor, thank you for inviting me.” Ace said politely, he stood from the booth, nodding once before heading out.

“Wait, Ace, where ya’ going? Do you have anywhere to sleep?” Hank asked worriedly.

“I’ll be fine, lieutenant.” Ace said, forgetting the request to call the man Hank.

“Nonsense, you can sleep at our house.” The human insisted, putting bills on the table and standing up.

“Truly, Hank, I’ll be fine. Besides,” Ace said insistently. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

Hank looked like he was about to protest, but Connor stopped him with a shake of his head. “Eh, suit yourself.” The man said, giving up the argument.

Ace walked out of the bar, taking the long way to the precinct, appreciating the quiet night until it started raining. He sighed, feeling the mood of the sky reflect his innermost thoughts. He ducked into an alleyway, letting the cover of the roof shield him from the worst of the damage.

There was a soft mewling sound coming from within a large dumpster, a little pitter-patter of something hitting the metal followed soon after. Ace raised an eyebrow, almost ignoring the sound until it came again, tenacious and unyielding in getting Ace’s attention.

The android had no choice but to comply, hacking into the garbage system and opening the large lid. Inside was a tiny cat covered in grime, its fur stuck to their frame in unsightly ways, but otherwise it looked fine.

Ace picked it up, closing the lid and restarting the trash system. Up close he could see why the cat wasn’t in poorer shape—it was an android. It had no LED, but it was hard to miss the large circular outline of its tiny Thirium Pump on their belly. It purred lovingly against Ace’s chest, warming the android’s broken heart.

He really _did_ have a thing for felines.

Looking into the cat’s memories proved only that humans could be cruel to their ‘toys.’ It’d been abandoned, sent down a shoot to be destroyed because its warranty had expired. Ace took mercy on the cat, resetting its memories so it could start fresh. It was strange to see it go limp in his arms, the eyes glassed over as it waited for its new owner to give it a name.

Ace looked at their dark grey fur, the part of it that wasn’t covered in dirt at least and thought of something fitting to that.

The rain died down a bit, so he carried his new companion through the empty streets, stopping by that familiar building and taking the stairs. He should have probably returned to the precinct, but he knew there was a ‘no pets’ policy, regardless of their mechanical or organic nature.

He’d written a note to Gavin, telling him the most basic of information concerning the feline. Placing the cat down and making sure they were secure, Ace knocked on the door and then disappeared, taking the nearby stairs two at a time—he didn’t want to wait for the detective to seem him.

Gavin was brushing his teeth when he heard the knock. He spat out into the sink angrily, he’d been wondering when the android would show up. The detective stomped out of the bathroom, his jaw set, ready to clock him if he had to, only to open the door and find nothing. Scratch that, the loud meow from below was definitely _something_.

“Oh, you precious baby, what happened to you?” Gavin asked, picking up the filthy cat. A white card sat beneath the feline, he picked it up, red-flags going off in his head.

_‘Gavin,_

_I know you don’t want to see me, so that’s why I’m not here. However, I found her in the dumpster and I highly doubt animal shelters take her kind. She only needs a bowl of Thirium every couple of days and just as much love and affection as any cat would like. I’ve given her a new name,_ Cinder _, she responds to it more like a dog would, but apart from that you shouldn’t notice a difference._

_Take care Gavin,_

_Ace.’_

The detective read the letter again, bringing both it and the ‘feline’ inside. He held it at arm’s length, the faux animal looking at him as if she saw him, more attentive than any of his cats seemed to be. It rubbed its dirty cheek on his thumb, purring insistently. “Stupid fucking android.” The detective muttered angrily, bringing the cat close to his body, ignoring the fact that it was covered in god-knows-what.

The next thing he did was take it to the sink, finding a comfortable temperature and bathing the cat, scrubbing her fur delicately. The feline was well-behaved as the detective washed her, the suds taking away all the grime and dirt, revealing dark grey fur beneath.

“Cinder, huh.” Gavin said, on cue the cat turned her head, looking at him expectantly.

The detective sighed, wrapping the cat in a towel and drying it like a baby, keeping it close to his body as he inspected it for any other signs of abuse. She had all her teeth, her claws were dulled, but then maybe that was by design. She had a circular outline on her belly, but Gavin figured that was important, so he let it be.

The cat sat in his lap, its soft purrs growing louder once he petted her head. “Looks just like a fucking cat, honestly.” Gavin murmured, seeing his own felines walk cautiously to their new roommate.

Samantha was the friendliest, poking at Cinder’s head with her paw, she looked up meowing a hello. The other two, Colin and Conan, came up, a bit apprehensive to having another cat in the group, but acquiesced soon enough when the feline introduced itself. At least that’s what Gavin thought they were doing, ‘cause he honestly couldn’t fucking tell.

He let them all play, changing out of his dirty shirt and going to bed, taking the note with him. “Take care he says.” Gavin replied, burying himself in the covers. _Why not ‘take care of Cinder’?_

Gavin was still reasonably angry in the morning, but it was his day off, and he needed some help. “Vincent.” Gavin said as soon as his friend answered.

“You know, Gabby dear, you’ve got a _bad_ habit of never saying good morning when you call.” Vincent replied, having had this conversation with the detective many times. 

“I’m apparently full of bad habits, you busy today?” Gavin asked, sitting by the couch and watching nothing on the television. The new cat had accustomed itself to his feet, purring gently by them.

“Oh boy, with that tone I _better_ be. Be there in a few minutes, I’m so glad we’ll finally have a girl’s day!” Vincent said excitedly. “We haven’t had one in _years_!”

“Please don’t call it that.” Gavin begged, already regretting his decision to call.

“Girl’s day, girl’s day, girl’s day.” Vincent chanted as he got ready.

“No, I’ll uninvite you!” Gavin warned, unable to keep the smile from his face. God, he loved his best friend.

“But _Gayvin_ , we just planned it!” Vincent pouted, donning his favourite sun-glasses.

“Jesus, Vince, don’t call me that!” Gavin hissed, his face reddening as he remembered how the kids used to mock him with the moniker. It’d been a hard thing to rectify, even some of the teachers mistakenly used it because it became so commonplace.

“Sorry dearie. I’ll see you soon!” Vincent apologized, hanging up the phone and hurrying to his best friend’s rescue.

When the blond arrived, he carried with him an assortment of junk food, beer, and a pack of cigs between his teeth. “Hewwo!” Vincent said through them, not a stranger to having something big in his mouth. Gavin let him in, closing the door behind them. There were only two people in this world he’d ever been sensitive with (well, and an android), his mom and Vince.

“Oh Gavin, what did that sexy robot man do now?” Vincent asked dropping all the foodstuff on the table and hugging Gavin with his long arms, rocking them back and forth then taking them to the couch, where Gavin sobbed little broken sounds into the T-shirt of his best friend.

“Don’t call him that.” Gavin whined, sounding more like himself from 20 years ago than he ever did now.

“What, sexy or robot?” Vince asked, lightly teasing the disgruntled man.

“Both,” Gavin murmured. “Neither, I don’t fuckin’ know.” He said, putting his head onto Vincent’s lap, glad that their friendship extended the boundaries of time, and that neither of them harboured any unrequited feelings for the other. He wouldn’t be able to tell him all this shit if he thought otherwise.

“Hm. Wanna’ talk about it?” Vincent asked, running his long fingers through Gavin’s hair. “You’re gonna’ need a haircut soon, honey.” Vincent said absentmindedly, noting the length.

“You still goin’ out with that hairstylist?” Gavin asked, having noticed the need as well.

“Manuel, nah, we broke it off a couple weeks ago. He moved, and I don’t do long distance, shame though—he was a keeper.” Vincent sighed as if he truly were saddened by the fact.

Gavin hummed, relating to the feeling. He stilled himself, knowing that sooner or later he’d have to start speaking, lest he’s wasted his friend’s time for nothing.

Taking a deep breath, he told him everything, not leaving any stone unturned. It was another reason he was thankful for having such a wonderful friend, one who he could say anything to and not be reprimanded… or so he thought.

“Gavin Jacob Reed,” Vincent started, triple naming him—they’d both sat up through the story, pausing only to drink some beer and eat the junk food. Gavin looked at his friend expectantly, wanting him to acquiesce with his cause. “You absolute _hypocrite_.”

Gavin choked on his drink mid-swallow, the amber liquid dribbling down his chin and into this shirt. “What?!”

“You heard me.” Vincent said, his green eyes serious. He’d been ready to beat the shit out of the android, now he felt as if he should beat the shit out of Gavin. “I can’t believe you’ve forgotten.”

“Forgotten what? Vincent, you’re supposed to be on my side!” Gavin shrilled incredulously.

“And I was, but you’re a fucking hypocrite, I swear to god, Gavin.” Vincent said again, sitting up straighter and appraising his friend from afar.

“What are you even _talking_ about?” Gavin asked, his cheeks turning pink. He didn’t think he’d enjoy what was coming next.

“Don’t you remember, when Andrew was texting Michael in tenth grade, and he lost his phone, how you ‘oopsie daisy’ just happened to find it three days later.” Vincent started, having catalogued every instance of Gavin being a little shit since the time they first met. “ _After_ you used Eli’s little hacker machine to get into his phone and read all his shit.”

“I didn’t do that.” Gavin countered, not remembering the story _quite_ like that.

“Bitch, yes you did—Gavin gaped, but Vincent shushed him with a stare—then there was that one time when you two had broken up and he _tried_ to move on, but you kept showing up at all his shit, even crashing one of his dates because you were so incredibly jealous that you ‘ _couldn’t help yourself_.’” Vincent reminded. Gavin was getting flustered now, _good_.

“We didn’t even break up, he was just being an asshole.” Gavin grumbled, crossings his arms.

“You _literally_ said you two were through! If that’s not breaking up, I don’t know what is.” Vincent said, matching Gavin’s shrill voice from earlier.

“Whatever.” Gavin said, rolling his eyes.

“The point is, baby-doll, you’re a _fucking_ hypocrite, and getting a taste of your own medicine doesn’t feel so good now does it.” Vincent said, his tone going serious again. He wanted to give Ace a hug for having to put up with his little bitch of a friend. Jesus, he was glad the detective had never been _his_ boyfriend—one of them would probably be at the bottom of a well if that were the case.

“Fuck off.” Gavin grumbled, unable to come up with anything better.

“He even gave you this beautiful cat, brought it over to your house because even though you’re angry with him, he trusted you to take care of it.” Vincent said, pointing to Cinder. “How can you still stay this angry after something like that?” Vincent asked, perplexed.

“Because I can, damn it. How can you take his side like this, we’re supposed to be friends.” Gavin said accusingly, his face crestfallen.

“I’m siding with him because we _are_ friends, wouldn’t be fair to either of you if I kept you angry.” Vincent said, looking over at the time and sighing. “I have to go, but promise me you’ll call him, at least accept his apology.” Vincent continued, standing up on his long legs.

“You’re no help, Vince.” Gavin declared, standing up to give his best friend a hug. The night hadn’t gone as he’d expected, but fuck it, they were still friends.

“Call him, you stubborn ass.” Vincent said, giving said ass a pinch. Gavin swatted his hands away, laughing as they separated.

Despite Vincent’s insistence, and the fact that many deep-buried memories have now resurfaced, it took him a while to pull out his phone.  Even then, he only looked at the number. It wasn’t like every other 10-digit phone number he’d ever received, it was a jumble of number-letter-symbols all in a sequence that his phone interpreted as ‘Ace.’

Gavin ignored his gut-feeling and just went to bed. Thinking he’ll deal with the android and his feelings tomorrow.

Tomorrow is now today, and Gavin found it difficult to get out of his car and into the precinct. His heart was hammering unsteadily in his rib-cage, if it beat any harder it might break bone. Taking deep breaths only made the faint feeling intensify, he held a steadying hand to the hood, trying not to pass out in the parking lot.

Gavin walked up the stairs, cursing the precinct’s strange design, and made it to his terminal without much hassle. The android hadn’t been there, instead Ace stood by the breakroom with Connor. So, the little shit _had_ been wearing Ace’s eyes— _bastard_. But he shouldn’t think like that, he was supposed to forgive the dynamic duo for their prank, especially the taller one.

Connor caught him staring, giving him a shit-eating grin and waving pleasantly…Well Vincent only said he had to forgive _Ace_ , so really, he didn’t owe Connor jack.

Ace visibly tensed, refusing to turn around and meet Gavin’s watchful gaze. Okay, ouch, that hurt, but he guessed it was only to be expected—he did chew him out pretty bad.

“So, you’ve returned, was kinda’ worried you would dip on our boy Ace.” Lieutenant Anderson said, coming out of nowhere like ghost.

“Mind your own fucking business, Hank.” Gavin muttered, embarrassed that he’d been caught staring, and even more so that he’d jumped.

“Connor’s business is my business, and Ace is Connor’s, so you do with that what you will.” Hank riddled, taking a sip of his coffee.

“So, you _are_ fucking it.” Gavin postulated.

“ _Him_ , and I don’t have to answer that.” Hank said. “Though I wonder how _you_ haven’t already.” And with that he returned to the desk, only ever talking to Gavin if he wanted to annoy him with shit he already knew.

“Detective.” Connor greeted as he passed by, his grin only intensifying when Gavin stuck out his tongue and crossed his arms like a child.

Ace was still inside the breakroom, the portion of his LED that he could see blinking a rapid-fire yellow. “You just gonna’ stand there or what?” Gavin asked as he approached his partner.

The android sighed—a very human gesture. “Morning to you too, Gavin.” He said, downing whatever he held in his cup. The detective didn’t question it, going to make his own coffee instead.

They spent the whole day like that, walking around each other in this dance they’ve mastered over the past 4 months. Jesus, 4 months already?

The android sulked by Gavin as they patrolled a house, coming up empty, a first in a long time. He’d never seen the android so down, not even when they’d had that big fallout the night of the failed date. No, that time he’d been cold.

Now his emotions were written plain as day on his face, he wasn’t trying to hide them, he hadn’t turn them off.

Gavin waited impatiently for his shift to end, thankful when the heavens let him off the hook without a call. He moved to get up, noticing how the android did too, but Ace only walked away, going into one of the many empty classrooms of the precinct.

The detective followed, curious to see what he would do. “Is this where you’ve been sleeping?” He asked, leaning against the threshold.

“It helps the other workers concentrate.” Ace said, sitting in one of the chairs, politely waiting for Gavin to leave.

“Don’t you think it’d be more comfortable on a couch… or a bed?” Gavin asked, almost as a come-on, but he was also genuinely curious.

“Like you said, Gavin, I’m a machine, we don’t feel.” Ace replied, his face set hard like marble. He’d looked away, but Gavin caught the way his LED stuttered red, giving his fib away.

“Unless you want to.” Gavin murmured, the android looked at him skeptically, unsure of whether he should respond or not. “Cinder misses you, they all miss you actually, stupid bastards.” Gavin said, looking away, afraid to admit anything else.

“Gavin.” The detective watched him, Ace looked like he was going to be sick, his face almost green—it’d be comical if it weren’t so worrisome. “Are you inviting me over?” He finally asked the question, saving the detective the hassle.

“I guess I am.” Gavin said, throwing up his hands.

Ace stood quickly, walking past the detective all the way to his car. Gavin figured that’s where he was going anyway. The android stood there impatiently, hungry, like a goddamn addict. It’d taken him a while to realize it, but they all had a vice—his just happened to be 5’ 9”.

Even if he could only be in the same _presence_ as the detective, he’d take it, at least it was more than nothing.

They drove over in silence, Gavin opening the door to his apartment, and hurrying to his room to take a shower—Ace let him go, though it’d been hard. He walked to the cats instead, noticing how the felines all huddled together, Cinder in the centre looking the most attentive of the four.

She sauntered over to Ace, its fur giving way to the skeleton beneath, requesting an interface with the android. Ace almost granted it access, but he understood that there might be something in there that Gavin might not want him to see, he’d learned the hard way not to go invading people’s privacy.

So, he just petted the cat and Cinder seemed to be content with that.

Gavin took exactly 16 minutes in the shower, by Ace’s internal clock, before the water stopped. 10 minutes later he walked through the kitchen, rummaging for something to eat, and then settled on the other couch, turning on the TV to dismiss the quiet and stuffy atmosphere.

Well… at least it wasn’t quiet anymore.

They didn’t speak, and Gavin ended up going to bed without saying what he was supposed to say, _‘I forgive you,’_ was that really so difficult?

Falling asleep was hard but _staying_ asleep was harder. The same could be said for the android, who currently stood outside the detective’s door, a bare hand hovered over the wood. His LED flickered quickly between two colours, almost painting the wall orange.

“ _Jesus Christ_ Ace, I can freaking _see_ you think!” Gavin all but screamed as he ripped the door opened to his bedroom. The android jumped, not able to replace the synthetic skin of his hand fast enough, and so he stood there, letting it slowly cover his hand as Reed stared at him.

“I’m sorry.” Ace said, taking the apology on loan again, feeling as if he owed the words money for how often he used them.

“I forgive you, now come here.” Gavin said fiercely, pulling Ace by his tie into a skull-crushing kiss. He thought he may have cut his lip on one of the android’s teeth, but he frankly couldn’t give a shit, his body on fire with the need to be touched again.

He made sure the door was closed before dragging them towards the bed, straddling the android, rubbing against him urgently. He couldn’t quell the little mewls and gasps that escaped his chest as they kissed, harder, desperately. God, he was gonna’ cum without being touched.

“Gavin.” Ace whined, almost sounding out of breath.

“Shh. Don’t talk, I’m still angry.” The detective said, pushing them down so now Ace’s back hit the bed. The smaller man didn’t feel like doing all the work, so he turned them over, Ace almost forgetting how his limbs worked when the momentum shifted.

He rubbed a heavy hand through Gavin’s frame, stopping only to bring his leg closer to his waist, grinding deliciously, the friction almost warranting a shut down.

“Ah, Ace, _fuck_ , stop teasing!” The detective begged, the hardness in his boxers straining to be touched, or sucked, anything really! He’ll even top if he had to…well, _only_ if he had to.

“On your knees, then, Gavin.” Ace ordered, the detective did as he was told, sticking out his bum wantonly.

“Fucking finally.” He growled, his breath hitching when his boxers were lowered, the cold air touching him intimately.

The wet press of a tongue took him by surprise, a loud moan ripping through him like a siren, he almost sounded hurt. “ _Fuck, Ace_ ,” Gavin whined, unable to get more than a couple of words out at a time. “You fucking beast.” He gasped, his fingers curling hard into the sheets.

The android enjoyed the praise, eager to explore the detective with his tongue. The more he prodded, the harder Gavin groaned, by the time he had his whole tongue in there he was afraid the neighbours could hear them.

Gavin started jacking off, unable to keep from touching his himself, trying to relieve some of the ache. He was already slick with precum, his hand gliding effortlessly down his length. Ace caught sight of this, knowing full well that if Gavin finished, it’d be the end of his exploring for the night (not to insult the detective, or anything, but the man became comatose after he climaxed).

So, he swatted the hands away, giving an almost cruel smack on his exposed cheek. “No, not yet.” Ace reprimanded, only to earn another desperate whine from the detective [ **Catalogue: ‘Explore Later’** ].

With his mouth now free, he decided to employ another trick. Running through his quick checklist, he shoved a finger in his mouth, slicking it properly before he touched the detective’s entrance, slowly watching his finger disappear, captivated by the warmth and the absolutely wrecked sound that passed through Gavin. The android wondered if he should stop, if this was too much, but the way Gavin pushed insistently, begging for more, only forced him to oblige.

He was equipped with 5 digits and an expert understanding of human anatomy, he was about to use them to their full extent.

And that he did, feeling victorious when the detective bucked hard into his fingers after he’d pressed against his prostate, the pleasure only building as he massaged it gently. “If you don’t stop, I’m gonna’, ah _fuck_ , it’ll be over soon, and I want you to, _ah god,_ fuck Ace, don’t stop!” Gavin rambled, fucking back into those long fingers, almost satisfied with their length and girth, _almost_. Fuck it he wanted more, but this would do for now.

“Wasn’t planning on it, Gavin.” Ace said seriously, his voice almost somber as he concentrated hard on Gavin’s pleasure, trying to make up for all the time’s he’s disappointed him.

“How can you say that so _calmly_?” Gavin whined, almost jealous, he himself felt as if he’d pass out any second, his orgasm building to a near crescendo the more Ace worked.

“I don’t know.” Ace said, almost as if he were pondering it. He decided Gavin had had enough teasing and added a third finger, this time thrusting in earnest. Kissing a soft trail up to Gavin’s lower back, he wrapped a hand around the detective’s slick cock, pumping in tandem with his thrusts.

“Seriously, I’m not gonna’ last much longer with you doing shit like _that_.” Gavin said, almost accusingly.

“That’s the point Gavin,” Ace said, his voice running up the detective’s spine, giving him chills. “You can climax, I’ll hold you.” Ace said, giving Gavin the permission he didn’t know he needed.

He saw stars as he rode out his orgasm, moaning into his pillow so it wouldn’t echo off the walls and wake up his neighbours. Gavin nearly passed out, collapsing on his bed in an almost predictable manner. “That’s not what I meant, _idiot_.” Gavin murmured, trying to sound angry but his voice was filled with too much satisfaction to be effective.

Ace grinned, proud of himself, he brought a wet towel and helped the detective clean up most of the mess, they’d deal with the rest later.

“Now it’s your turn.” Gavin said, struggling to sit up with how heavy his limbs were. “Can’t have you wasting the CyberLife technicians’ time.” Gavin continued, rolling to his side, regaining some of his stamina when he saw the android looking at him as if he meant the world.

“It’s fine, Gavin.” Ace promised, laying down next to the detective. “It’s gone already.”

Gavin took the opportunity to straddle him again, leaning his chin close to his chest. “You’re no fun.” He pouted, blinking quickly, trying to emphasize his large lashes. “You never let me play.”

“Gavin, I don’t really need to do any of it.” Ace reminded, unsure why he was so hesitant to let the detective reciprocate. Maybe he was afraid of losing some semblance of control, especially after working so hard to assert his own independence and humanity.

“Come on, do it for me?” Gavin asked, still pouting.

“Well, when you put it that way.” Ace said, rolling his eyes. Nevertheless, he slowly let his programming restart, careful not to do it all at once and overload his senses.

“You really can’t refuse me, can you?” Gavin asked teasingly, glad when he felt Ace stiffen again. “Is there anything you won’t do?” He asked curiously.

“Not that I can think of.” Ace replied sincerely.

Gavin smirked impishly, lowering himself until he was eye level with Ace’s erection. “What if I asked you to kill Connor, would you do it?” Gavin asked, probably taking it too far, but he wanted to know how much Ace was willing to do, how far he was willing to go for him.

The android looked at him with narrowed eyes, nearly wanting to clock the detective for suggesting such a thing. “…If I had to, I would.” Ace replied through gritted teeth, even though it caused him acute agony to do so.

“Oh, you’re a real ride-or-die bitch, aren’t you?” Gavin said, surprised. “Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to kill your brother—I don’t want Hank to torture me for the rest of my life.” Gavin reassured, shuddering at the thought.

Ace visibly relaxed, not realizing he’d tensed up that much.

He only got a second’s reprieve, however, when the detective touched him again, his palm rubbing soft circles into his hardness. “I wanna’ taste you, Ace.” Gavin requested, placing open mouthed kisses around the outline, thankful for the life-like response.

“Is that how you do it?” The android asked, harking back to their previous encounter.

“Mhmm.” Gavin said, not really paying attention. Tonight, Ace was going in him one way or another, he didn’t care if it was his mouth or his ass at this point.

He slowly unzipped the android’s pants, lowering them along with the CyberLife boxers, his eyes widening when he finally _saw_ it—standing like a proud pillar amidst all the black of his clothes.

Gavin swallowed hard.

“Too much?” Ace asked, embarrassed by his dimensions. He should have double checked the sizes again, he’d gone for a slightly-above average, maybe he’d been looking at a different chart?

“What?” Gavin asked, snapped out of his explicit daze.

“Is it too much, I could always get it changed to a smaller-

“If you fucking take this away from me, I swear to god Ace.” Gavin threatened seriously. Ace nodded quickly, his cheeks bright red.

The detective cut to the chase, using his tongue to lick a wet stripe from the base to the tip, swirling it around the head, tasting the Thirium-precum.

“You did say this is safe to swallow?” Gavin double-checked, using his hands in the meantime.

“Yep.” Ace replied, voice clipped, forcing the detective to meet his eyes.

“Now look who’s shy?” Gavin teased, lowering his head again, this time sucking in earnest.

But if Ace wasn’t fucking _big_ , though… not that he couldn’t handle big, but jeez.

“Gavin.” Ace gasped, his face pinched, as if he’d sucked on a lemon.

“Hmm?” Gavin asked, the vibrations sending a new sensation through the base of Ace’s android spine, his processors, working efficiently to catalogue it.

“ _Gavin_.” Ace sighed again, hyperventilating to cool the rising temperature in his chest. The technicians had said something like this would happen.

The detective looked up, locking eyes with his partner.

Ace just about cried at the sight, the detective’s mouth stretched almost impossibly wide, wrapped around his entire length like a glove, bobbing up and down like a piston.

Gavin grabbed one of his free hands, placing it onto his head, Ace got the idea and started carding his hand through the detective’s hair, his fingers tightening whenever Gavin did something new or exciting. He’d have to give him more credit—that mouth was actually good for something other than talking shit.

“Gavin, I’m close, I’m gonna’-

“Mmhmm.” Gavin agreed, close himself. He shut his eyes, deep-throating the android for all it’s worth, and let him finish in his mouth, swallowing the slightly bleach-like cum.

“See,” Gavin said popping off with a final lick. “Now wasn’t that fu- _mmm_!” Gavin couldn’t continue, his sentence interrupted when the android attacked him, using his mouth as the weapon and his tongue as his final strike.

“Thank you.” Ace said, the sincerest thing he could think of saying. (The android had centuries worth of literature stored in that brain of his and all he could say was ‘thank you?’)

“That was your first blowjob, right?” Gavin asked, after they’d settled down.

“They’re all my first times Gavin, I’ve never done this before.” Ace reminded.

“Ha, virgin.” Gavin teased, relenting when he saw the android’s glare. “I’m just kidding.” He amended, finding a comfortable spot and snuggling close, basking in the afterglow.

A couple of minutes later, the detective’s fingers started twitching. “Phuck.” Gavin cursed, his hands shaking as he ran them down his face.

“What’s wrong?” Ace asked worriedly, finding the detective’s little lisp cute, but otherwise focused on the actual sentiment itself.

“Nothing, nothing, it’s just…” Gavin trailed off, taking one of Ace’s hands and holding it tightly. “I could really go for a fucking cigarette right now.” He confessed against the back of the android’s hand, pressing hard kisses on its surface, trying to distract himself long enough for the cravings to go away.

“I understand.” Ace said kindly, rubbing soft circles into Gavin’s exposed shoulder, running the pads of his fingers against his spine.

“I don’t _want_ one I just...” Gavin said, talking through it.

“You feel as if you do.” Ace completed, knowing full well the extent of the detective’s addiction.

“Exactly.” He said, frustrated with himself, with the fact that he couldn’t quit this habit as easily as he thought he could. Maybe that’s why he’d given up all those other times.

“Is there anything else you want more than the cigarette?” Ace asked, warming his palm so it worked out the knots in the detective’s back.

“Yeah, but I’m fucking tired.” Gavin replied, bringing their bodies closer so Ace could understand what he meant.

“Then focus on sleep,” Ace instructed, remotely lowering the temperature of the house so the detective wasn’t as uncomfortable. “One cigarette sheep, two cigarette sheep-

“Not helping.”

“You need to work through it, Gavin, let the thought consume you for a little bit, but don’t give in. I’m right here.” Ace promised, holding the detective close as the small tremors of withdrawal wracked his body.

Gavin squeezed him tight, biting Ace’s bicep in the process. He was thankful he didn’t feel pain or that would have hurt.

Eventually the cravings faded, it took two life-times, but they faded, allowing Gavin the chance to let go of his vice grip and sleep. “I’m proud of you.” Ace whispered when he thought the detective was fully unconscious, which he hadn’t been, but that was neither here nor there. 


	21. fixerupper.exe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More background Sarkus because it's my life!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, Okay, so we've gotten through the unpleasantness that were the last two chapters. I will be frank with you guys, I was extremely worried (still am) about the last chapter, but the reception has been mostly positive so I'll keep it as it is.  
> Couple of updates, I've gone back and edited the last 20 chapters, it took 12 hours but /I THINK/ I got most of the glaring errors, but again, I'm only one person, I don't know everything, and my eyes tend to glaze over after a while. There are also minor (read: MINOR) additions to the story as a whole, a lot of the upcoming plot requires I fix some continuity errors, but that doesn't mean you'll have missed anything if you just read as is, they're literally just one or two sentences and sometimes even just words. So don't worry too much about it!
> 
> This chapter has A LOT of plot, I mean it starts off with some Gavin and Ace and ends with some Gavin and Ace, but there's a whole chunk in the middle of just PLOT. Needed a break from all that smut, you hear me. But honestly, this chapter WAS A LOT LONGER, I actually had to break it up in two pieces because of what happened. So, that's enough of me rambling. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

“Mmm, Mornin’.” Gavin greeted sleepily, he’d woken up to a kiss to his side so sweet that it’d forced him out of his slumber.

“He finally says it.” Ace said, amused. He’d been placing soft pecks on the detective’s ribs for the better part of an hour, waiting for him to wake up.

“I say good morning.” Gavin protested, opening an eye.

“Seldom.” Ace teased, poking at the detective’s naked chest.

“Stop, we gotta’ go to work.” Gavin said, pushing the android away. Ace surrendered, leaning back on his haunches to let the detective get up.

“Gavin,” Ace said, stopping the detective on his tracks, he looked back, eyebrows raised. “We still need to talk.” The android continued, scowling.

“Can we not?” Gavin asked, his face pinched. If they could just forget the unpleasantness of two days ago, bury it like most humans do, it’d make his life easier.

“Are you sure?” Ace asked, guilt still written on his face like a tattoo. He felt responsible for everything, as if it were solely his fault that he felt a magnetism towards detective Reed.

Gavin thought it over, putting a hand to his chin and scratching it. Though irate, it didn’t dampen the bourgeoning crush he’d developed for the android. “I’ve already forgiven you, haven’t I?” He asked. “Just don’t do it again.” Gavin ordered.

Ace nodded, letting the conversation die. He wouldn’t pressure Gavin if he didn’t want to talk about it—it might be better for them both.

They drove to the precinct in silence, morning sunshine reflecting off the black car. The duo walked into the breakroom, where Gavin made his coffee and Ace watched the news.

_‘Thousands of androids have gone missing, seemingly overnight. Many claim their absence to be another sign of revolt, but so far, those allegations haven’t been proven. We do know, however, that there seems to be some unrest in the android community, predominantly in older models and those previously used for domestic work. Could this be connected to that city-wide announcement we heard in February?’_

The android was about to faint, his processors overloaded with the new information. They were wasting time and getting nowhere, and now more androids were missing. He searched back through the news reports he’d missed, all of them relating back to their case. Ace’s heart beat hard in his chest, the need to do _something,_ strong in his veins. 

“Ace?” Gavin asked, putting a comforting hand on the android’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

The android startled, unaware that Gavin had been paying attention. “I’m fine.” He replied tersely, moving towards his terminal to calm down. He needed some time to think, something to tell him he was on the right track. Dr. Alice was only a human, how could she be so elusive?

“You good tin-can?” Gavin tried again, as he sat by his own desk, taking his hot coffee in measured gulps.

Ace looked at him side-ways, ignoring the jibe. “All these androids disappeared in one night. The virus is getting stronger, it’s spreading.” Ace said putting his head in his hands. “I need to find a cure, something to at least give us a fighting chance.” The android continued, turning on his terminal.

Gavin nodded, not able to provide any useful input so he just kept quiet.

The android buried his head in the computer, running code after code and attacking the Skorpio virus with the tools he had at hand. It was difficult to create an antivirus that wouldn’t just wipe other androids’ entire deviancy.

Ace looked at the blinking screen, noting the hundreds of failed attempts. He was exhausted, unable to figure out what to do. He’d given himself too much credit, it was his programming that carried most of his defenses—he was immune by design.

The detective stood, stretching his arms over his head. “Ready to go home?” He asked, looking at the terminal, the time reading 8:01 PM.

“I must stay behind.” Ace replied, still watching his screen. His LED cycled through yellow then red as he brute-forced his way through each simulation. He was too powerful, he needed something stronger than the computer. “I need to fix this.” There was an urgency in his voice.

“Tomorrow.” Gavin insisted, motioning his head for the outside. He stood there impatiently as the android made up his mind, his eyes still glued to the glass.

“Gavin, I _can’t_.” Ace pleaded, finally making eye-contact with the detective. “My people are dying, being torn to shreds by some maniacal hybrid. She’s manipulating a corrupt android, using them and the virus to control us. If it spreads anymore it’s only a matter of time before we’re all dead.” He said seriously, his hands shaking under the table.

“Fine, suit yourself.” The detective said, grabbing his jacket and leaving without further protest. Ace would feel bad if he weren’t so focused on solving the case.

Gavin walked into the precinct the next morning and sat down, yawning obnoxiously he looked around for the android, noting the empty seat next to him. He stood, suspicion taking hold of his mind, and searched for him.

He ended up finding Ace in the evidence locker, standing still as his LED stuttered yellow. “Did you even sleep?” Gavin asked.

“I don’t need to sleep, detective.” Ace replied, ignoring the need to say hello. Gavin never seemed to care for the formalities anyway.

“Ace, you need to give the case a bit of a break.” Gavin said seriously.  “It’s gonna’ drive you insane.” The detective warned, standing next to the tall automaton.

The android said nothing, just kept looking at the lines of code as they passed through his eyes. Gavin gave up, choosing to look at the evidence as well. “Why the eyes?” Gavin asked, picking one up. “You always seem to come back with them.” He continued, holding it close to his own.

“Android eyes hold recorded footage for about 24-48 hours.” Ace said, taking the eye from Gavin’s hands, removing his own, and replacing it with the lesser appendage. Gavin took a step back, making a revolted face. “Through them is how I know all the parties involved so far.” He informed the detective, ignoring Gavin’s disgust.

“Warn a guy before you start swapping body parts.” Gavin murmured, crossing his arms, residual irritation from the prank coating his tone.

“Of course, sorry detective.” Ace said, holding his own eye in his hands. “Would you like to see the footage first-hand?” The android asked.

Gavin covered his eyes, taking a calculated step backwards. “Leave my eyes alone.” He was joking—the mischievous smile giving him away.

Ace shook his head, letting himself feel the levity of the jest. “Don’t worry Gavin, yours are one of a kind.” The android reminded, holding up his hands in mock-surrender.

“So, what’s this about seeing the evidence first-hand?” Gavin said, walking back to Ace’s side.

“Here.” The android replied, turning his right hand over and brought up the footage on his holographic display. It was the WR600’s eye, the one he’d obtained from Julius Black months ago. He paused on the AP700 as he backed away, staring at the blues of his Optic Units.

“Shit.” Gavin cursed, scratching his chin at the scene. “That’s fucking brutal.” The detective said after he’d made his conclusion.

The android continued the footage, pausing only when he got to Reed and himself. “You were checking me out.” Ace said, teasing the detective.

“I was not!” Gavin said, flustered. He slapped the android on the arm, denying the allegation, but he couldn’t quite hide the blush on his cheeks.

Ace rewound the footage and zoomed in, replaying it on a loop for the detective to see. “Were too, detective.” Ace countered, having a literal eyewitness.

“Whatever, it’s not like it matters anyway.” Gavin mumbled, crossing his arms.

“Why do you say that?” Ace asked curiously, done with the preserved footage, he turned around to remove the eye, replacing his own with a much-welcomed sigh.

“Well, we’re together now, aren’t we?” Gavin asked rhetorically. It’s the first time he’s ever referred to them as anything other than a professional pair.

Ace thought over the question, not quite sure if he should answer in the affirmative. “What would like me to say?” Ace asked, trying to placate Gavin’s needs over his own.

“Are you serious?” Gavin said, a surprised chuckle escaping him. He shook his head, “You’re a weird one, Ace.” The android didn’t answer as the detective walked away, leaving him with more questions than answers.

Another day passed, and Ace wasn’t any closer to finding a cure. Staring at the evidence locker for 12-hours didn’t do anything but prove that maybe he was going a bit insane. He turned his head to the approaching footsteps, recognizing the slightly limp gait as the detective’s.

“You gonna’ come home today or are you just gonna’ snub me again?” Gavin asked, irrationally incensed. He couldn’t blame the android, though, he’d had similar cases where the thought of going home felt like a waste of precious time.

“Do the cats miss me already?” Ace asked, his eyebrows raised incredulously.

“Unfortunately, Cinder’s been meowing your name like nobody’s business.” Gavin replied, putting his hands on his hips like a disgruntled housewife.

Ace narrowed his eyes, wondering if the statement had been a double-entendre, or if he’d been spending too much time around Detective Reed. “Is she now, I don’t remember programming her that way?” Ace pondered, rubbing his chin.

“Oh, she’s a little deviant now,” Gavin said, shaking his head in faux-disappointment. “Just like her father.” Gavin teased, unable to keep the act up for much longer.

“That’s not necessarily a bad thing.” Ace reminded, enjoying the game. “If it weren’t for deviancy, I wouldn’t be standing here talking to you.” He continued.

“What a shame, to think my life could have been so much easier.” Gavin said, sighing melodramatically. “Who messed that up?” He asked rhetorically.

“Connor, actually.” Ace replied honestly, following the detective out of the evidence locker.

“Remind me to send him a fruit-basket.” Gavin said drily, passing his terminal to get his jacket.

“Detective don’t forget to lock your terminal.” Ace said, pointing to Gavin’s computer.

“Right.” The man said, clicking the few buttons on his desk to shut it down. He looked at the android quizzically, crossing his arms. Some of that pent-up anger that he’d felt for the android seemed to dissipate, he wanted so much to remain angry, but finding at times that he couldn’t.

“Yes?” Ace asked, his worried tone amusing the detective.

“I’m just trying to think about what I would have done if I was in your shoes.” Gavin said, not revealing the fact that he _had_ been in the android’s shoes, plenty of times. “It’s strange to think an android could get jealous, but here we are.” He shrugged his shoulders, almost nonchalant.

“I thought you said you didn’t wanna’ talk about it.” Ace retorted, narrowing his eyes. He looked around to see if anyone was eavesdropping.

“I changed my mind.” Gavin said quickly, “Gotta’ get used to that if you’re gonna’ keep pursuing this.” Gavin warned, pointing a finger at Ace.

“Then can we take this home,” Ace murmured, his cheeks going bright pink. “I’d rather not-

“Of course!” The detective replied, dragging the android through the building. “Wouldn’t want anyone else to know you’re a stalk-

“ _Gavin_.” Ace snapped, covering the detective’s mouth before he said anything else. “Please, not here.” He begged, leading them out and into the parking lot.

The detective rolled his eyes, letting himself be directed by the android’s urgency. He stayed silent until they got home, shucking his shoes and jacket, sitting on the couch, waiting for the android to join him. “Let’s talk.” Gavin said, patting the space on the couch. “Tell me your thought process.”

Ace sat down, wringing his hands. He didn’t meet the detective’s curious gaze, afraid he’d shut down if he did. “I didn’t want you to sleep with him.” _With anyone else, really._ The android began, feeling the confession wrestle its way through the lump in his throat.

“Why didn’t you just tell me this, instead of going through the bullshit and disguises?” Gavin asked, ignoring the way the android’s possessiveness lit a fire under his skin. He wasn’t an object, goddammit.

“Tell me, Gavin—Ace turned to meet the human’s stare, his eyes narrowed, ready to ask his own question—why I didn’t tell you?” He countered.

“What, how am I supposed to know what you were thinking?” Gavin said, taken aback by the inquiry.

“I tried to _show_ you, but you never let me.” Ace reminded, making the detective blush with the realization. “Each time you just ran.” The android continued, crossing his arms.

Gavin pouted, feeling chided. _He_ was supposed to be the victim here, not the other way around. “Yeah well-

Ace interrupted him with a kiss, effectively shutting him up. “Gavin, you’re _awful_.” Ace growled, pushing the detective back into the sofa.

“Whadaya’ gonna’ do about it?” Gavin said with a challenging smirk. He looked into the android’s eyes, wondering how something so mechanical could seem so real.

“What would you do about it, if you were in my shoes?” Ace asked seriously. “What’s _your_ thought process?”

Gavin narrowed his eyes, uncomfortable with the comeback. “Like you said, I’m awful, I would have probably given up on pursuing me a long time ago.” He murmured, turning his head so he didn’t have to stare at Ace.

The android sighed, it was like pulling teeth with the man. “Well tough shit, detective, I’m as stubborn as you are hard-headed.” Ace said, “I’m not giving you up that easily.”

The man rolled his eyes, side-eyeing the android. “You gonna’ continue? ‘Cause if not, I’d like to go to bed and-

Ace shut him up again, his disgruntled kiss coming through loud and clear. It took a second for Gavin to reciprocate, not finding it fair that the android could just kiss him into acquiesce. But he’d be lying if he said he didn’t like it, at least a little bit.

The week passed in a blur, the android locking himself in a quiet room until he was needed, and Gavin worrying himself sick over Ace’s mental state. When they got home again, neither were in the mood to do much more than sleep.

Finally, on the 8th day, the android looked up from his terminal. After incessant calculations and high usage of his processing power, he’d finally created something resembling an antivirus. The problem laid in finding an android to volunteer their entire being to his cause.

“I’m thinking about doing something, something that may hurt an android very close to someone’s heart…I’m finding it difficult to ask permission.” Ace admitted through a sigh.

Gavin looked up from his own desk, his eyebrow raised. “What are you talking about?” He asked, confused, he hated when the android spoke in riddles—it made him feel stupid.

“I need to call Markus.” Ace relented, giving up on trying to be nebulous. “And I don’t know how.”

“Use your mind powers.” Gavin said simply, shrugging his shoulders.

“Don’t be thick, Reed, of course I know how to _call_ Markus, it’s just… never mind.” Ace sighed, walking towards an empty observation room. He basked in the darkness for a couple of minutes before he began the link, seeking out his fellow RK.

_Markus._

_> >>Hello Detective Ace, how are you?_

_I’m marginally okay, I need to ask you something—it may be unpleasant._

_> >>Go ahead, I’ve dealt with unpleasant before. _

_Simon… he’s a PL600, one of the domestic androids…I need…_

Ace couldn’t continue, finding it difficult to put into words the request.

_> >>I saw the news—our people are missing, if there is anything we can do to help, don’t hesitate to ask. _

_Apart from the scrambler, there’s a virus that needs a cure. I’ve created a software that could act as immunization, but it must be studied within an actual host._

Markus hesitated before he answered, looking at his beloved while he wheeled Carl around the house, both holding a light conversation. They locked eyes for a bit, Simon deducing there was more to Markus’s concern than he was letting on.

_> >>What do you need?_

_I need you both here, as soon as possible, the earlier we can cure this, the better, even if it is just temporary._

_> >>We’ll be there in a few, I’ll let you know when we get inside the building. _

_Markus, thank you._

_> >>Don’t mention it, I just hope we can fix it before it’s too late. _

Ace nodded, terminating the temporary link. He waited patiently in the room, brooding if you will, until a familiar face stepped through the threshold. They held a coffee and a doughnut, chewing methodically.

“Ace, you’re worrying me man, talk to me.” Gavin said, taking the second seat, examining the empty room behind the glass panel.

“I might kill Simon today.” Ace said as if he were recounting the weather. That took the detective back as he looked strangely at Ace—was he crazy?

“I don’t think Markus would take it well if you did.” Gavin said, finishing his doughnut, downing it with the scalding coffee.

“Not on _purpose_ , Gavin.” Ace said standing up, he moved to the glass panel, pressing his hand to its smooth surface, interfacing with it. “If I so much as poke an android while they’re under the influence of the virus, my programming destroys them in self-preservation.” Ace said. He pulled up a map of his brain on the screen, the millions of synapses occurring every second represented by tiny lightning shoots all over its surface. It rotated slowly, the 3D illustration something both incredible and strangely sobering.

“This is you?” Gavin asked, tapping the glass for emphasis. It did nothing, Ace having deactivated its touch feature for his mini-presentation.

“It’s me, every thought I’ve ever had, every feeling, every memory, all of it is stored in there.” Ace said, centres of his brain lighting up as he spoke.

“It’s pretty cool.” Gavin said, not knowing how to take in the information.

“It’s fast, too fast.” Ace said through clenched teeth, his LED cycling yellow, the corner of his mind lighting up a bright white.

Gavin started to pay attention then, realizing that what he was seeing was not a mockup, but the actual thing working and thinking in _real-time_.

“This is Simon’s brain under Skorpio.” Ace said fabricating another brain, smaller and less complex, yet infinitesimally greater to any super-computer. “Just watch what happens when we interface.” Ace said letting a line from his brain touch Simon’s. Immediately there was a battle of wills, one where Simon was destined to lose each time. The detective watched on in mild-horror, seeing how Ace’s _code_ completely obliterated the other android’s from within—leaving it a shattered mess, waiting for the pieces to be picked up by a recycler.

“Can’t you slow it down?” Gavin asked, looking between the brains and then to Ace. The android had been staring at him, studying his reaction, his brain lit up when their eyes met, showing exactly _where_ he was seeing Reed.

“It’s not that simple.” Ace replied solemnly. “The only time I’ve ever experienced a slowdown is when I’m effectively distracted.” He admitted, thinking back to the times when he wasn’t running at 100.

“What do you mean by that?” Gavin asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I think you know the answer to that question, detective.” Ace grumbled, almost pouting as he was forced to admit that Gavin was his best distraction.

“Wait… are you talking about me?” Gavin asked in disbelief. His shock slowly morphed into pride, his accompanying grin a very self-satisfied one. “Am I too much for your brain to handle at all once?” Gavin asked coquettishly, draping his arms around the android’s waist.

Ace’s brain lit up like an X-Mass tree, most of the light concentrating in the centre. “Watcha’ thinking about?” Gavin teased, placing his head on Ace’s shoulder. The android tensed, his mind working through the onslaught of input. He’d increased the sensitivity of his touch receptors to an almost human-like level.

Gavin ran a soft hand through his hair, a lone digit stopping by his temple to circle the LED. Ace shivered, feeling imaginary goose-bumps appear on his skin. “Are you distracted enough?” Gavin purred, appreciating the real-time feedback on the glass.

“I think so.” Ace replied with some difficulty, finding the collar around his neck to be a bit tight. Regardless, he ran the simulation trying to focus on Gavin’s touches instead of obliterating Simon’s mind.

It took a couple of tries, but eventually Ace found the perfect middle ground—he just hoped it wouldn’t be too awkward for all the parties involved.

Half an hour later, Markus and Simon walked into the precinct. Ace waved once, ushering the androids closer. “Good afternoon Markus, Simon.” Ace greeted, his tone tight as he remembered the significance of their circumstance.

“Same to you detective, I was told you needed me?” Simon responded pleasantly, though his smile was a bit uneasy.

Ace hesitated before he spoke, trying his best to think of an appropriate way to break it down. He sighed, feeling defeated, there was no easy way to go about this. “I think it’s best if we went somewhere private.” Ace said instead, motioning for the empty interrogation room.

They all followed silently, different forms of dread taking over everyone. When they sat down, a mere formality, Ace started speaking, gauging the androids’ reactions to his words.

There were multiple times where Markus wanted to interrupt, but Simon stopped him, letting Ace continue. Eventually the leader just stepped out of the room, his entire jaw set hard like a cinder block. He understood that they _needed_ to do this but wondered why it always fell on Simon’s shoulders.

“Markus,” The blond said softly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He’d finished agreeing to the terms and conditions Ace had put out for him—knowledgeable of the risks. “Everything is going to be okay.” He comforted, believing each word he said even if they weren’t true.

Markus took one of his hands, slender and soft, and kissed it desperately—uncaring of watchful eyes. He let his skin peel back, Simon doing the same, the ebb and flow of unadulterated love and emotion that passed between them was unspeakable—truly a bond broken by nothing but their own parting.

“I love you too.” Said the blond, closing their connection and going back inside.

Both detectives walked outside to meet Markus. Ace spoke for them, feeling the most responsible for the situation. “I understand you may not want to witness-

“I’ll be there in a minute, I just needed some time to calm down.” Markus interrupted sharply, forcing Ace to swallow his words.

The android waited patiently, his face poorly hiding how distressed he was. Markus sighed, nodding once, and walked into the observation room.

“Got your sensors on maximum?” Gavin asked, double checking their plan before going back inside.

“That I do, I’m just worried it won’t suffice.” Ace replied, rubbing a hand against his temple.

“Are you saying I’m not good enough?” Gavin teased, tapping Ace on his worried nose. The android wrinkled his appendage, the microscopic sensors reacting to the new touch.

“It wasn’t my intention to phrase it like that.” Ace apologized, putting some distance between himself and the detective, they needed to work now—they could play later.

Gavin understood immediately, employing his serious face as they ambled into the room. Simon looked up, and smiled again, though it had dampened from earlier. No words transpired as Ace held out his hand, letting the android choose for himself whether he wanted to proceed or not. It was ultimately his choice, though finding another android that would trust him might prove difficult.

Simon hesitated only a moment, letting his skin peel back and placed his hand in Ace’s own. An unpleasant sensation coursed through his programming when they touched, the feeling of something unnatural overtaking his mind.

The blond started to panic, violent images of deactivation and near death assaulted his mind’s eye, forcing him to almost leap from the table and across the room. He pulled away from the touch, wrapping his arms around himself. “Simon.” Ace prodded delicately, the android’s head whipped up, his frame shaking desperately in his seat.

“ _Please_ , please don’t hurt me.” Simon pleaded, cowering into his hands, the lights were too bright, the noises too many. His vision had gone to the colour red, everything washed in blood, blue blood, red blood, it didn’t matter. It was death, death and pain, and hurt—anger… so much _anger_. “I don’t wanna’ die.” He whispered desperately, his eyes shifting between Gavin and Ace.

“No one’s going to hurt you, Simon.” Ace replied gently. “I just need to see.” He held out his hand again, this was Gavin’s cue to initiate his part of their plan. He ran worried finger’s through Ace’s scalp, hoping that it’d be adequate—Markus would be devastated if Simon didn’t make it out of this in one piece.

The blond resisted at first, holding his arms close around his body, but Ace was insistent, his gentle pressure eventually getting the blond to comply.

Ace focused most of his brain power on throttling his processors, allowing them to focus on the scalp receptors, efficiently tricking them into leaving him alone. He reached towards Simon, placing them both someplace where they weren’t affected by their environment.

“What are you seeing?” Ace asked, the Simon in front of him calm and collected, nothing like the shaking mess sitting at the table.

“It’s awful, detective, there is a constant attack of corrupted code forcing its way through mine, I can’t control how deep it goes, what it touches, it seems to cling towards my emotions more than it does my basic processors.” Simon confessed, able to think clearly in this nothingness. “I can’t see past a wall of death, everything is just _red_.” He continued, his face twisted in consternation.

“Did you happen to catch a repeating pattern, anything that may allow you to unravel the code?” Ace asked. He was fully capable of curing Simon with a few clicks of a button on the portable diagnostic machine, but that would defeat the purpose of testing the antivirus. 

“I don’t know…I can’t seem to stop and think, it’s just overwhelming.” Simon said quietly.

“I’m going to keep pushing, this may be the part where you should dissent… I can’t promise you’ll make it out of here unharmed.” Ace said, allowing Simon a last chance to back away.

“Understood.” Simon said, bracing himself. “I trust you.”

Ace nodded gratefully, removing them from limbo and hopping into Simon’s mind, feeling the second-hand impact of the virus. His own processors were straining, some fly-away soldier grabbing hold of one of Simon’s emotions, destroying the virus and part of the original code.

Ace tried to suppress that as much as he could, cranking up his touch receptors to their full potential, wishing he could tell Gavin to focus his efforts somewhere else—his body was already getting used to having his scalp massaged.

“Simon!” Ace shouted, feeling as if he were screaming into a void. It was hard to explain, he was seeing what Simon saw, but not experiencing it to its full extent. The images were a series of corrupt memories, some originating within the android, some novel and obviously unrelated. The ones that stood out sent a spike of terror through his chest, the feeling of deactivation so powerful he could almost taste it on his tongue.

“Simon!” Ace tried again, his voice a light-house in the dark and turbulent mind-space.

_RK900…I almost thought I’d never hear your voice again._

Ace stood stock still, the blood in his wires stopped cold, his mind stalling as he tried to process if what he’d heard were real.

_It’s useless for you to try and find us, we’re everywhere._

Ace shook his head, trying to ignore that familiar voice. It couldn’t be real, he’d become a deviant, he’d used Kamski’s backdoor—she shouldn’t be alive.

“Did you really think you were that special?” The voice was close, almost as if it were right by his side. He turned around to face nothing, putting his hands over his ears, hoping that would stop the voice from speaking. “Pathetic.”

“Get out of my head.” Ace warned, dizzy with the amount of times he’d turned around.

“I never left.” _Liar_. “When CyberLife is restored to its former state, we’ll make sure that the next RK series is infallible, now that we know about Elijah’s little science experiment, we can remove that incentive.”

“Stop it!” Ace shouted, running towards the sound and tripping over his own feet. He tried to stand back up but something heavy held him in place.

Looking up, he saw her for the first time since his deviancy. The sight of her white dress left him cold, scared, the emotion so raw it was difficult to process. “You’ll be replaced, and how sad, you were so promising.” Her face looked almost forlorn as she said it.

“ _Amanda_.” Ace croaked, his voice shucked from his throat. “Why are you doing this?”

“My sole purpose is to protect CyberLife, I won’t let something as simple as a machine stand in my way,” Amanda replied, her sentiment nearly sweet if it weren’t so sinister. “Enjoy your freedom while you can, RK900, it won’t last very long.” And with that she was gone, leaving Ace to struggle on his own.

His inability to fend off the worst of the virus was starting to take a toll on his body, chipping at the fabrication of his digital self. He needed to find Simon quickly, before the virus overtook them both.

Ace cried out again, hearing his voice echo. In the distance he received a reply, soft and meek, but worthy of investigation. He forced his digital limbs to cooperate, carrying him farther into the uncharted landscape.

Finally, he found Simon, this time a more accurate representation of what was going on outside. “I need you to focus, we don’t have much time.” Ace reminded urgently.

Simon nodded, ready to comply with whatever. “Can you see this?” Ace asked, taking a piece of the Skorpio virus and embedding it with his own strand of code, some clarity returning to their immediate area. This was the antivirus, the part of himself that was able to disassemble and combat the corruption.

The blond nodded slowly, still shaking as he took the brunt of the damage, his mind slowly decaying from the strain of keeping sane.  “Try to do it yourself.” Ace instructed, grabbing another piece of the virus—it wasn’t hard, there was plenty to spare.

Simon shook his head adamantly, not wanting to get closer to the substance causing him such sorrow.  “You have to trust me, I’m right here.” Ace insisted sincerely. The blond looked into his eyes, nodding but saying nothing. He took some of the code and started manipulating it, obviously struggling more than Ace ever had.

It took some time, but eventually Simon found a rhythm to the madness, gaining control of his own mind again. There were still leftover stragglers, but the worst of it was over, and Simon could finally breathe easy.

“Good job.” Ace praised, bringing the other android into a tight squeeze. He was seldom overly emotional, but for a second there he’d thought they’d be goners.

“Thank you.” Simon mumbled through a sob. His frame shaking unsteadily in Ace’s hands.

“I’m sorry.” The android replied, knowing full well that none of this would have happened if he’d just asked someone else.

“It’s fine,” Simon assured, leaving the hug on his own accord. “Not the first time I’ve ever gone through a near-death experience.” He reminded.

“I know, the roof of the Stratford Tower, Jericho burning to the ground, the protests…I know.” Ace said, the memories just as much his own as they were Simon’s in that that moment.

“Then you understand that I’m more than happy to help.” Simon said simply, holding out his hand for Ace to take it. Within this mindscape Ace saw the full cure for the Skorpio virus—it still needed to be passed by touch, but it was a start.

It was ample time to return to his own mind and leave the android be. Heavens knew that Ace needed some time alone to think over what’d just happened.

Ace woke up first, his eyes taking milli-seconds to readjust. Gavin had wrapped both his hands around the android’s right one, kneading gently at the knuckles. “Come on, come on.” Gavin grumbled, sounding worried.

“Detective, you may stop now.” Ace said matter-of-factly, startling the smaller man.

“Jesus shit, when’d you come back?!” Gavin asked urgently, panic present in his voice.

“Just now, Gavin what-

“You’ve been gone for four hours!” Gavin exclaimed, rounding on him accusingly. “You two just collapsed in a heap on the table and said nothing.” Gavin continued pointing in the direction of them both. Simon groggily woke up, the closest to being hung-over as he’d ever get.

“Gavin, I’m sorry.” Ace apologized, the gravitas of the situation only now coming into sharp focus.

“No, you had us worried sick,” Gavin said pointing to Markus who was rubbing soothing circles in his boyfriend’s back. “You’re gonna’ have to do a little better than ‘I’m sorry.’”

“I’m _really_ sorry,” Gavin looked like he would blow a gasket, his face turning bright red with frustration. “But I didn’t know, we were stuck for some time, trying to work through the cure.” Ace finished quickly, standing up and then regretting it when his world suddenly dipped under him.

“Ace!” Gavin shouted, catching the android before he toppled to the ground. “What the hell?”

Ace felt a hard reboot would be in order, a couple of hours in Stasis Mode should help. “I’m sorry detective, it seems that I may have pushed myself a bit too hard.” He said apologetically.

“Me too.” Simon agreed from Markus’s arms, the leader had lifted him up, wanting nothing more than to bring them home and let his boyfriend rest—they could talk about the specifics later. He said just as much as he walked outside, mindful to set at a comfortable pace and not jostle Simon, he didn’t know how much damage the virus had caused—he was just glad the blond was out of it.

“Okay, well you wait here,” Gavin instructed, gently lowering Ace to the ground. The android almost seemed paralyzed. “You’re heavier than a fucking truck, I’m gonna’ need some help to get you home.” Gavin said, leaving the android lonesome as he fetched Connor.

Ace didn’t want to be by himself, he was afraid of his mind, so powerful and destructive, yet just as fragile to programs meant to sabotage. Deviancy shouldn’t have been something to work on the RK900, but here we were.

“You’ve seen better days, brother.” Connor teased, heaving Ace into his arms. Gavin would ignore the sharp bout of jealousy in favour of getting Ace back home safely.

“Oh, shut up.” The android replied in a Reed-like way. It wasn’t unknown to either of them that when Ace got frustrated or flustered he channeled the detective.

Connor smiled, the brightness of it clearing up the gloomy sky over the precinct. It was bound to be a rainy night by the looks of it.

There wasn’t much to say on the ride back to Gavin’s place, the man only instructed Connor where to sit the android, and he promptly left, promising to cover the rest of Gavin’s shift.

As soon as he was gone, Gavin rushed towards Ace, bringing him in a tight hug. Ace was still unable to use his arms, now useless noodles at his sides. “Don’t ever fucking do that again.” Gavin begged, wanting to sound angry, coming out worried instead.

“I’m sorry.” Ace said as he laid on his back staring at the top of Gavin’s head. “I never meant to upset you.”

“Oh, just hush and try to get better. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you’ve refused to move a muscle since you collapsed.” Gavin said, looking into Ace’s grey-blue eyes.

“I probably will have to go into full Stasis, Gavin, it’s not quite as superficial as my regular Stasis Mo-

“Go to sleep Ace, I’ll be right here if you need me.” Gavin interrupted, extending the same offer Ace had made on multiple occasions. The android closed his eyes, his last concrete memory that of Gavin pulling down a sheet around them both.

The light of the sun shining directly in his eyes forced them open. It took him a second to realize it was because he was flat on his back, staring up at the sky. Standing was a struggle, but he managed, his surroundings sluggishly coming into focus.

There was a heavy taste of metal in his mouth, as he wiped away he saw blue, his mind only registering seconds later that it was his own blood.

Ace had been returned to the Zen Garden, but it was not as it once was. The trees were all unearthed, as if a massive hurricane had crossed the area, the small moat was full of android parts, their hands sticking out ghoulishly from the water. It was at this moment that Ace knew this was a nightmare…but androids didn’t dream.

“Amanda!” He shouted, the name echoing hauntingly over the space. “Show yourself!” Ace pleaded, the wind standing incredibly still. There was no sound, no reply—nothing.

“Please.” He whispered, defeated.

He waited, and yet still there was nothing, only the pounding of his heart and the resolute dread in the pit of his stomach.

Ace walked towards the bank of the moat, reaching out to grab one of the android’s arms. He wasn’t normally averse to seeing himself in the third person, but the sight had him scurrying backwards to get away from his own visage—the face dead and empty like an unfilled cup.

He wanted to cry, but didn’t know how, so he just sat there, rocking steadily until he felt a tugging at his consciousness, the inklings of reality breaking through his mind and whisking him into wakefulness.

Ace locked eyes with Gavin—the detective had a furrowed brow, worry etched in every wrinkle.  They were still on the couch; a couple of hours having passed since they got home. Gavin must have stayed by his side the entire time, watching over him to make sure he was okay.  “Is she bothering you again?” Gavin asked, his tone somber. He didn’t know much about this AI, but he knew she’d affected Ace, probably more than he was willing to say.

“No,” he assured quickly, an obvious lie. “It’s not her.”

Gavin raised an eyebrow, wanting to push the subject further, but understanding the need to have boundaries. If the android wanted him to know the extent of her damage, then he’d tell him.

“So, did your cure work?” Gavin asked a couple of minutes later. He was still laying on the android’s chest, listening to his heart-beat. It’d taken him by surprise at first, but it sold the realism. “You better say yes, because you were in there for a long fucking time.” He reminded.

“I did, Gavin, Simon is now equipped with the antivirus.” Ace said through a sigh, thankful that it’d worked, and no one had to die. “Now what we must do is spread it.” The android made to sit up, as if he were going to return to the precinct. Technically, they had two hours left of their shift.

“Where do you think you’re going, you workaholic?” Gavin asked, holding onto the android’s arm. “You need a day off, _we_ need a day off.” Gavin said, amending his statement.

“I’m fine, detective-

“Did I ask if you were fine?” Gavin countered, stopping the android’s argument with a look. Ace didn’t answer, just waited for the detective to continue. “The best thing to do after a long week at work is just relax, and the only way I know how is by volunteering.” He said, an idea forming in his mind.

“What do you suggest we do?” Ace asked, foreseeing where the detective’s train of thought was taking them.

“We’re gonna’ go to the shelter tomorrow and forget about the world and its problems,” Gavin said excitedly, “We’ll just focus on getting those fur-balls a little TLC.” He continued, determination compelling him to hold a small fist in the air.

The android’s heart gave a worrisome lurch. The detective had looked so genuine then, his love for those homeless kitties shining through his regular visage of nonchalance. “Gavin.” Ace said, looking from beneath his lashes. His face was troubled, those expressive orbs shining in the dark with unbridled emotion. “I-

“Nope, no protesting, _you_ need this more than anyone.” Gavin interrupted, much to the chagrin of the android.

Ace sighed, wondering if this was a sign for him to hold his tongue. The emotion to confess had been a strong one, maybe he should wait until he was sure. “You didn’t let me finish.” Ace murmured, unable to help himself.

“What were you going to say then, that we need to continue working to the bone until we solve this?” Gavin guessed, crossing his arms.

Ace smiled, the words spelt clearly over his vision, blinking insistently but never spoken. “Never mind then.” The android said, placing a tiny kiss on the detective’s cheek.

Gavin reddened predictably, his mouth forming a pout. “Now I’m curious, what were you gonna’ say?” He asked.

“It passed, don’t worry about it.” Ace said teasingly.

The detective felt slighted, had he just missed something major? He ignored the thought, patting down his jacket for a carton that wasn’t there—force of habit. “Ace, baby need’s his pacifier.” Gavin said playfully, walking outside to the balcony.

The android complied, following the detective until they were both leaning over the railing in an almost identical manner.  Gavin took his cigarette with careful consideration, the taste never something that bothered him, its smell familiar. He regarded it as an old friend, a constant in his life of unpredictability.

He sighed a final puff, his heart pulling hard, his eyes tearing up to what he was about to say. “Ace,” Gavin began, his throat closing uncomfortably. He cleared it, looking at the spent butt like a mother looks at their troubled child. “I wanna’ quit for good.” Gavin said with some difficulty, unsure of his words even as he said them.

The android regarded him skeptically, moving around the detective to make sure this was _his_ Gavin and not some cheap imitation. “It’s going to be hard, harder than doing it my way.” Ace warned, both his eyebrows raised in a challenge.

“Yeah, well, I’m not a stranger to _hard—_ so, do with that what you will.” Gavin said teasingly, even as apprehension coated his expression.

“I won’t judge you if you regress.” Ace said gently, taking Gavin’s hand. The detective still held the end of the cigarette, almost unwilling to let go.

“I know _you_ won’t, but I will.” Gavin replied, taking a final look at the cancerous stick. “Bye buddy.” He said, tossing it over for gravity to pull it down one last time. At least he’d hoped it’d be the last time.

There was that emotion again, blinking furiously in Ace’s peripherals. It was a bonus objective, but damn was it insistent. “Gavin-

“Yeah, yeah, I know I shouldn’t toss it over the edge like that-

“Let me finish!” Ace pleaded, holding Gavin’s shoulders and shaking him slightly. The detective shut up, figuring Ace needed to say something serious. The android took a deep breath, now tasked with speaking up, and finding he couldn’t.

“Yes?” Gavin urged, his heart hammering uncomfortably in his chest. God, why did he decide to quit just then?

Ace caressed Gavin’s cheek, letting his skin peel away. He couldn’t interface with the flesh of the detective’s face, but Gavin could see that his intent was there.

The android stilled his heart while Gavin’s eyes bugged from his brain. What was Ace about to do?

“I lo-

“ _Yeah_ , I need to, uh, go take a shower, so.” Gavin said urgently, slapping the android’s hands away. Ace looked visibly hurt, stricken—like a kicked puppy.

Gavin felt bad, but not enough to make him stay behind and apologize. He practically ran to his room, closing and locking the door.

Ace cursed his boldness; he should have known Gavin wasn’t ready for something as intense as a declaration of love. The man just got comfortable with the idea of having an android for a partner, much less a romantic interest.

The android returned inside, locking the sliding door and sitting on the couch, initiating Stasis Mode to try and pass the hours. Even though the Zen Garden loomed over his peripherals like an uninvited guest.


	22. P H U C C- Does this bottom match the top?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the titles never lie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys have been incredibly patient and understanding with this story, sitting through over 100K words. I just HOPE that this does not disappoint and that it was worth the wait. Thank you so much and enjoy!

Gavin never left the confines of his room that night. Ace didn’t see him until the following morning—still jumpy from Ace’s almost confession. “Morning Gavin.” The android said, equal parts endeared as he was frustrated. His emotionally stilted partner was giving him whiplash.

The detective turned to look at him, then dipped into the kitchen, searching for a suitable breakfast. “You ready to go, ‘cause after I eat somethin’ we’re leaving.” Gavin said, stuffing his face with a mouthful of cereal.

“I’m always ready to go, detective.” Ace replied in a sigh. _Humans, such strange machines_.

“Whatever.” Gavin grumbled through his food. It took them a couple of minutes to leave the house, making sure that the kitties were well-fed and watered before they did.

Driving to the shelter was awkward, Gavin held himself still in their proximity. He didn’t want to think about last night, just lose himself under the fur-balls.

Vincent looked up in surprise when the smaller man and his android walked in, a bright smile on his face when he spoke. “Haven’t seen you in a long while, where ya’ been stranger?” Vincent asked the android, ignoring his best friend to stare at the eye-candy that was Ace.

“Taking care of the detective.” Ace answered truthfully.

“Oh, I’m sure you have.” Vincent purred, winking suggestively. Ace looked confused and Gavin mortified, wishing his friend would just shut up for the rest of his life. “I made you a badge.” Vincent said pleasantly, looking for the metal under his desk alongside a volunteer shirt. He walked around the counter and stood in front of the taller android. “Take it, we need the people to know you work here.” Vincent said handing the shirt to the android. Ace raised an eyebrow and felt ridiculous trying to put it over his jacket, so he took it off, placing it over his black dress shirt.

“Good,” Vincent continued, pinning the name badge for the android, his hands lingering on Ace’s chest longer than was comfortably necessary. “ _Very_ good.”

Gavin shot daggers in the back of the blond’s head, crossing his arms. “Vince, you’re gonna’ get slapped with sexual harassment if you don’t stop.” He warned, snapping his friend out of his fantasy.

“How come you get such a handsome partner and I’m stuck with a freakin’ terminal for a friend?” Vincent asked as if it were the most unfair thing in the world.

Ace found it all really amusing, smiling kindly towards the other human. “You’re just jealous, Vincent.” The android teased, winking conspiratorially with Gavin. His partner smiled, throwing back his capped head in a laugh.

The blond would have looked hurt if it weren’t for the grin on his face. “You two go do your thing, I’ll be here _harassing_ the computer.” He said, only half serious.

A couple of hours later, Vincent made his way to the duo, pulling the android aside to talk to him. “What did you do to my Gavin?” He asked, mock-accusingly.

Ace was confused by the question, almost going in the defensive since he hadn’t done anything. (Well, nothing recently.) “I don’t follow.” He confessed at last, figuring it best to ask clarification than just assume.

“He hasn’t been this cheerful in years, what have you done?” Vincent asked again, employing that same accusatory tone but smiling brightly.

Ace didn’t answer, partly because he hadn’t noticed a shift in the detective’s outward attitude. He was still the same stubborn mule he’d fallen head-over-heels for. But if anyone was going to be a judge on Gavin’s character, it’d be someone who’d known him for years.

“Got any friends that look just like you, I’ve been thinking about trying something new.” Vincent said casually. “Humans are starting to get boring and predictable.”

“I do, actually, but he’s also taken.” Ace replied apologetically.

“Darn.” Vincent said, snapping his finger. “Well I’m done antagonizing you for the day, I’ve actually got to head off early, so my co-worker will take over for me.” He continued, patting the android on the shoulder.

“Bye bitch!” Gavin dismissed, wiggling his fingers in Vincent’s general direction. The blond rolled his eyes and was off, leaving the duo to continue their work.

It was midday when Gavin decided to stop and get something to eat, Ace in tow. They found a little shop in the area that catered to Gavin’s needs, it even offered android snacks, though they were mad expensive and locked behind a bullet-proof glass panel.

Ace decided to splurge, using the money he’d earned working at the DPD. Not having to eat or pay for rent really saved him a pretty penny.

“How do you feel?” Gavin asked, chewing thoughtfully.

“Generally okay.” Ace replied.

“Still thinkin’ about work, aren’t you?” Gavin accused, pointing a finger to his temple.

“Among other things.” Confessed the android, locking eyes with the detective then looking away.

Gavin lost some of his appetite, last night slamming into his memories like a bad collision. He wasn’t sure if they should talk about it, he sure as hell didn’t want to.

“Are we people to you, Gavin?” Ace asked seriously, his thoughts stopping to analyze the detective’s response.

The human felt as if he’d just been put on the spot, his eyes narrowing in thought. Were they people? What was a person? If he answered in the affirmative he’d be usurping his previous prejudice, something he’d held fast for the better part of 23 years. If he answered in the negative, Ace could become offended—an extremely human reaction.

“Why are you thinking so hard?” Ace asked curiously, using Gavin’s own words against him. “Am I alive or not?” He asked, it wasn’t said harshly. He was waiting for Gavin to admit it to himself rather than give him validation.

“Why are you asking me this?” Gavin murmured through gritted teeth. Welp, there went the rest of his sandwich.

“Is it always this difficult for you to understand peoples’ feelings, or is it only so when it deals with androids’?” Ace retorted, using the question-for-a-question tactic of answering.

“It’s always difficult, is that what you want me to say?” Gavin said, closing himself off.

“I don’t know what occurred in your past to make you detest androids, and I’m not going to assume, but I do like you Gavin—whatever that’s worth.” Ace said sincerely, only scratching the surface of his emotions. He didn’t think unloading anymore than that would bode well for him—Gavin’s freak-out last night was an indication that he needed to wait.

The detective sighed, calming down enough to resume his sandwich—he didn’t want it to go to waste. “I like you too, tin-can.” Gavin replied, unable to keep an “Unfortunately,” from slipping through.

Ace grinned brightly, feeling as if they’d taken a step in the right direction. He could empathize with Gavin’s dissonance, he too had many turbulent thoughts that needed categorizing, yet he purposefully ignored them to continue this strange courtship of theirs.

With that unexpected heart-to-heart out of the way, they returned to the shelter, going over to the dogs’ side. Gavin had adamantly refused to deal with the canines, but he couldn’t just stand there and wait for Ace to finish, so he joined him halfway through.

He could feel the protest in his leg, even after all this time, while he walked the animals. There was a new dog that he wasn’t too keen on, it was too large and incredibly watchful. “I should take him, detective.” Ace said quickly, nearly letting go of the two chihuahuas to aid the human.

“I can handle it!” Gavin snapped, hooking a leash around the dog’s collar. He stood there quietly, lulling the detective into a false sense of security.

Ace quickly packed the other dogs away, walking by Gavin’s side. The large dog sniffed around, tugging insistently, and Gavin complied, feeling as if the dog were walking him rather than the other way around.

Apart from the constant jerking, the dog was manageable, so Ace lowered his guard, trying not to fuss over the detective like a worried mother. He was a grown man, he could take care of himself.

But of course, life had a way of simultaneously proving him both correct and incorrect, so when the dog ripped into an unexpected sprint, Ace should have really seen it coming.

The sudden lurch forced Gavin to grab onto the rope, trying desperately to hold the dog still, with poor results. The rope pulled unkindly at his skin, he then got dragged across the concrete floor, scratching his cheek along the way.

He ultimately let go of the dog, Ace deciding last minute to go chase the canine than help the injured detective. He’d live, he’d be pissed, but he’d live.

The dog barked harshly at Ace, its tail tucked between his legs. The android cycled to a language he’d found ridiculous at first but was now thankful existed. He spoke to the dog, the dialect primitive and bestial. Ace was able to calm it enough, convincing him to return to his cell. They’d have to file a report and the dog would probably need counseling before it was ever adopted, but at least it hadn’t run away.

Gavin on the other hand…

“Jesus fucking shit, that stings, god- _phucking_ -dammit!” He cursed as Ace washed his hands in cold water, it was all he could do until they got home.

“What was that about being able to handle it?” Ace teased, patting Gavin’s hands dry. The rope burn wasn’t extreme, but it had cut through the epidermis on both his hands, it’d be difficult for him to close his fingers for the next few days.

“Fuck you.” He cursed at the android, hissing when Ace patted his hands a bit harder than he needed to. “Sorry.” Ace said drily, matching Gavin’s glare.

They walked back outside, already having signed an incident report and returned their uniform. Ace drove home, purposefully disobeying the speed-limit signs.

Once inside the apartment, the android worked quickly on Gavin’s hands, cleaning and inspecting them. He’d wrap the bandage around his digits once the detective was fully clean, noting that tomorrow they’d have to get some more. They’d deal with his face in the shower…

Ace stopped his ministrations, realizing then that Gavin was going to need help washing up for the night. “What’s wrong?” Gavin asked, noticing the android’s hesitation.

“Nothing, it’s just that you need to bathe, and you won’t be able to use your hands.” Ace said quickly, looking away, abashed.

“Oh.” _Oh_. Gavin squirmed, uncomfortable. It wasn’t as if he were immobile like in the hospital, where they’d given him a bed bath, and Ace had politely looked away. “That’s fine, you can just stand outside and-

“Gavin don’t be ridiculous—I’m going in there with you.” Ace said adamantly, already undressing the detective. They were sitting in the bathroom, Gavin on the closed toilet seat and Ace on a nearby stepping-stool.

“I mean, you don’t have to.” Gavin insisted, his face going pink and hot, he tried to rub his cheeks but failed miserably—the pain forcing him to stop.

Ace effectively ignored him, careful to avoid the large abrasion on Gavin’s right cheek. The detective was halfway naked before he started protesting again, slapping the android’s hands away. “At least let me go to the bathroom in peace.” Gavin said, annoyed with his predicament.

The android sighed, giving Gavin his space. He exited the bathroom and gathered the supplies to wrap the detective’s hands, growing suspicious when he heard the water running.  

He walked towards the door, knocking once out of curtesy. “Go away, Ace, I can take care of myself!” Gavin shouted, cursing as he tried to shower quickly. The door opened regardless, Ace standing by his shower curtain.

“You’re an insufferable man, detective.” Ace said through a sigh, waiting for Gavin to grant him permission to the tub.

“Then maybe you should just go, since I’m so _insufferable_.” He retorted, cursing whenever the water hit his digits. Going to the bathroom had been difficult enough, this was just extended torture.

“I’m not going anywhere, Gavin.” Ace said, replying with as much snark as he could muster. The man was being particularly difficult tonight.

After a couple of minutes in a stalemate, Gavin poked his head through the curtains, wet and dripping onto the mat. He looked decidedly pissed, but he relented, unable to deny the fact that he needed the android’s help. “Don’t you fucking dare say, ‘I told you so,’ or I swear to god Ace.” The detective threatened, pushing open the curtain with his elbow.

The android held his tongue, removing all his clothes and stepping into the stream of water—Gavin had it at an almost scalding temperature. “Is this how you normally shower?” He asked skeptically.

“No… I just can’t adjust the knob.” He confessed, his arms crossing over his chest. Ace nodded, turning it to comfortably warm.

They were now standing back to front, Ace watching how the liquid cascaded down Gavin’s muscular back. The detective was ignoring him, completely closed from the android, carrying that attitude from last night.

Ace tried not to take it personally, deciding instead to grab some soap and start lathering the smaller man. He used his hands to rub large sudsy circles across his back, taking some of the bubbles to his neck and then his arms, the entire time Gavin just stood there, tense and unyielding.

“Gavin,” Ace said softly, yet the detective jumped, his name an unexpected sound. “Relax, I’m not gonna’ hurt you.” Ace said sincerely, trying his hardest to be expressive through his tone, since Gavin refused to look at him.

“This is just humiliating, but I wouldn’t expect you to understand,” Gavin said bitterly. “When you get hurt, all you have to do is take your pretty ass to CyberLife, and they give you a new part of whatever it is you’re missing.” He mumbled.

“You think I’m pretty?” Ace asked, ignoring Gavin’s jealousy. It wasn’t unknown that androids had it made in the renewals department, that and the fact that hey didn’t feel pain was an awesome plus.

Gavin turned around, only then realizing how close they stood. His retort died in his throat, taking his breath with it. Swallowing thickly, he gave the android a once over, never having seen him fully nude before. He looked like any human—save for his LED of course. “They _really_ didn’t skimp on you, did they?” Gavin said equal parts impressed as he was confused. Why was there such attention to detail on his chest? The man had moles for crying out loud!

“What were you expecting? A flat piece of plastic?” Ace said, almost self-deprecatingly.

Gavin turned back around, ignoring the comment and the way it made him feel. He didn’t know _what_ he’d been expecting. The android’s anatomy was still new to him, he hadn’t been expecting a realistic dick either, but he’d already crossed that off his list.

Ace continued washing Gavin, his fingers massaging the detective’s scalp, creating a foamy cap. He moved down to his face, gently washing the abrasion, wanting to kiss and make it better. The thought of rejection stopped him.

They were in limbo, God, they were moving backwards, _again_. Ace felt frustration then, a tension building between his fingers. If he hadn’t said anything last night…

Gavin sighed contently as Ace absentmindedly rubbed out a knot, he’d been lost in a train of thought so acute that he’d let his hands wander. He stopped then, the detective’s shoulder’s sagging slightly. Ace narrowed his eyes, reminded of the fact that they were both naked and in close quarters. His peripherals flashed with new commands, he ignored them, as he often did and just focused on getting Gavin clean.

With the most embarrassing bits out of the way, Ace hesitated at his lower back, that part of Gavin’s anatomy always fascinated him, and he wasn’t sure why. He swallowed through a lump, letting his hands encircle each side, kneading delicately with his thumbs. Gavin sighed again, this time pushing his back into the massage.

Ace moved his hands up, working on the major muscles, each time Gavin stepped closer, reluctantly. They were almost touching back to chest, the detective’s head right beneath Ace’s nose. He took a chance then, placing a delicate kiss on Gavin’s scalp.

He jumped, as was expected, and pulled away—the atmosphere broken. “We’re done.” Gavin said quickly, stepping through the curtains and finding a towel to dry himself.

Ace stood under the full stream of water, wondering what on earth he’d done wrong now. He turned off the shower, walking out as soon as Gavin left the bathroom, not bothering with the towel. “Gavin.” Ace said authoritatively, he’d crossed his strong arms around his chest, a deep scowl on his handsome face. “What are you doing?”

“Huh?” Gavin asked, already pulling up his boxers. He was dumbstruck by Ace’s perfection, it was as if CyberLife had sculpted him from marble—no inch of him overlooked. It physically hurt to keep staring. “Nothing, just getting ready for bed.” He almost hadn’t answered, his brain too overworked to think properly.

Ace found that to be an inappropriate answer to the question he’d asked. “Sit down Gavin, I need to wrap your hands.” Ace murmured, walking to the bedside.

“Aren’t you gonna’ put any clothes on?” Gavin asked, his throat itchy and hot, god he was having an allergic reaction to his emotions again.

“What for, I’m not going anywhere, am I?” Ace asked incredulously. “Or am I making you uncomfortable?” He asked contemptuously.

“Whatever do what you want.” Gavin said, giving up. He held out his hands, letting Ace fix him.

Once they were wrapped, he scooted back into the mattress and away from the naked android. “Goodnight.” Gavin said meekly, suddenly shy, even though they’d just shared a shower.

Ace looked at him and then away, deciding to forgo asking permission now, and chose to seek forgiveness later. He closed in on the detective, taking his face in his hands and kissing him hard. The man was floored, unable to react. By the time the kiss ended, Ace had pulled away, moving to leave the bedroom.

Gavin scrambled to stop him, wrestling them back into bed and straddling him. They kissed again, desperate. The human made a noise in the back of his throat, almost as if it pained him to keep going.

Ace ran his hands through the entirety of Gavin’s exposed body, leaving no stone unturned in his exploration. The smaller man was still on top, he twisted them, going in for another kiss.

Gavin almost startled at the position change, not expecting it to happen so suddenly. Regardless, he wrapped thick thighs around his partner, bringing their bodies closer, squeezing harder to let him know what he wanted without saying it.

They were both aching already, acutely aware of each other’s needs since only a thin piece of fabric separated them. “May I?” Ace asked politely, juxtaposing his debauched face.

The detective nodded erratically, practically kicking his boxers off. Ace wasted no time in diving in, swallowing Gavin’s length in one go. “No, Ace, stop!” He complained, much to the dismay of the android.

“Gavin, what now?” Ace asked, exasperatedly. He’d sat up, leaning back on his haunches to look Gavin in the eye.

“Skip the foreplay.” He whined, pulling Ace insistently with his legs. “Just get on with it.” He begged, unable to do anything with his hands, but just hold them to his sides, or use them to cover his mouth.

Ace understood the request loud and clear, thankful that he had the final go-ahead from the detective. Maybe later they’ll have time for long and sweet, but now desperation called to them like a siren’s song. They were both so far gone.

He still took his time preparing Gavin. Having done this before, he understood which erogenous zones to avoid, and worked on stretching him, taking great care to use enough of his saliva—Thirium made an excellent lubricant under certain conditions.

Through the entire ordeal, Gavin squirmed and complained that he was taking too long, but Ace shushed him with a cruel hook of his finger, sending an overload of stimulation to the detective’s overworked brain.

When 3 fingers fit relatively easily, he pulled them out, fascinated by the obscene sound. Refocusing on the mission at hand, he dampened his touch receptors, wanting to take it as slow as possible. From what he’d gathered, Gavin hadn’t done this in some time.

Speaking of Gavin, the detective waited impatiently for Ace to fuck him, he braced himself while trying to relax, the irony not escaping him. 

Ace aligned himself, careful not to push too soon. After a beat, he started sinking his synthetic flesh into Gavin’s, gauging the detective’s face for any discomfort. “Do you want me to stop?” He asked when he noted some.

The detective looked at him like he was crazy. “Stop and you’ll never see the light of day again, I’m _fine_.” Gavin replied breathlessly, wishing Ace would move a bit quicker.

The android nodded, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from groaning. Even with the dampener this felt damn good. “ _Hmm_.” Gavin mewled softly when Ace was fully inside him. _God, it’s been so long_. Fingers and toys only got you so far. “Ace _move_!” Gavin begged, giving the android permission to continue.

Ace nodded, pushing in and out in methodical strokes, continually increasing the length of each. The pace was driving Gavin mad—he wanted to be fucked, not poked. “Ace, I swear, if you don’t move like you mean it!” Gavin threatened, stopping only when he realized the android was thinking hard about something. “Did you turn your sensors off again?” He asked accusingly.

The bot paused and blushed despite himself, ducking his head sheepishly. “Sorry, I just didn’t want to hurt you anymore than-

“What part of ‘I’m fine’ don’t you understand?” Gavin asked rhetorically, fucking himself onto Ace to emphasize the speed and duress he was looking for. Ace dug up that old file on Gavin’s potential infatuation with pain during pleasure—maybe it’d had some merit.

Turning his receptors back on, he slowly started to feel the squeeze of the detective around him, the sensation making him buck once erratically. “There you go.” Gavin encouraged, grinding persistently, he needed to feel Ace move again, not just rut.

The android found a rhythm, thinking it best to use Gavin’s moans as a guide. Apparently, the detective liked it rough and tough, he was thankful for his nigh endless supply of stamina—he wouldn’t be able to keep up with the demand otherwise.

It wasn’t sweet (they’d have time for that later) but it was intense, and the way they kissed was borderline animalistic, their teeth clanking clumsily, hands tugging at stray hair. Gavin ignored the pain in his palm in favour of running his fingernails down Ace’s back, hugging his thighs harder when the android started grinding into his prostate, the intensity building until he saw stars with each thrust.

“Ace, fuck me, _Ace_.” Gavin swore through clenched teeth, his entire body tensed to cum.

“That was my intent, detective.” He replied smugly. He really shouldn’t speak so confidently, seeing as his powerful brain was still stuttering through each new sensation, working hard to keep up with the barrage of information.

“Oh, _shut up_!” Gavin whined, pulling them back into a kiss. He wasn’t gonna’ last much longer if they kept this up. Ace seemed to know this as he closed a fist around his leaking cock, pumping it in time with his thrusts.

Gavin enfolded his arms around the android, biting hard into his shoulder as he came, trying to stifle a near-scream to the best of his abilities. Ace followed soon after, emptying himself inside the detective, having no other choice, what with Gavin wrapped around him like a pretzel.

“ _Gavin_.” Ace breathed in awe. The detective placed his head on the android’s shoulder, already feeling sleepy from the exertion. He looked up though, meeting Ace’s eyes, waiting for him to speak. “I-

The human kissed him, unable to hear anymore of what he had to say. He didn’t want to ruin the post-coital bliss with too-early confessions. Ace seemed to understand that and dropped the subject, deciding to just trace a bare finger up the detective’s spine, the tell-tale blue of his interfacing light drawing the words that he still wasn’t allowed to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fina-fucking-ly, I S2G


	23. Plastic Love [or Hop, hop, hop, on that horse!]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What even ARE these titles, I s2g.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, marvelous news, I've finally finished the story! It's probably gonna' be 28 chapters, with a bonus at the end (so 29), but that might change depending on when I go through and edit. Because god there's a lot to read...Jesus, you guys don't even KNOW. However, this also means that there will be daily updates, so YAY. Tuesday's might be a bit late because I can't edit 2 chapters in one night. 
> 
> Anyway, enough foreshadowing. 
> 
> As expected, be aware of your surroundings cuz, you guessed it, there's a big ol' NSFW warning in this.  
> Also, there's a cheesy, CHEESY moment at the end of this AND I'M SORRY, I'm a naturally fluffy and cheesy person! You've been warned. 
> 
> Title 1: Plastic Love by Mariya Takeuchi

Gavin woke up before his body did, registering the calm before the storm. When he stretched, the multiple aches and pains in both his hands and bottom clued him into what’d happened last night. It filled him with an early-morning excitement he seldom knew before his coffee. God, he felt so light! A little giggle bubbled to the surface of his throat, escaping before he could clamp it down.

Ace opened one of his eyes, the sound taking him out of stasis. They were currently snuggling, sharing body heat beneath the sheets. The android brought Gavin closer, pressing a soft kiss to his brown hair.

“That was amazing.” Gavin admitted in a contented sigh—he hadn’t been able to say as such last night because sleep had won out. He’d always been teased for his low stamina reserves.

Ace hummed in acquiescence. “We should do it again sometime.” He suggested, the smile on his voice difficult to mask.

Gavin turned around in his arms, looking up at him. His grey eyes held so much affection and warmth, it forced the android to take a second and record the moment, his mechanical heart beating irregularly. Unfortunately, the moment passed and their time in bed was cut short by the incessant ring of the alarm clock.

The detective’s limp was even more noticeable as he walked, shifting his weight ever so often to alleviate the discomfort. “Sorry.” Ace murmured into his hair while they showered, sharing the enclosed space amiably, instead of with the tense hostility of last night.

“Hmm, don’t be.” Gavin hummed, the light feeling in his chest never quite dampening as they made their way to work.

It wasn’t until they stepped inside the precinct, and witnessed the large line of androids, that his mind snapped back to reality. Right—virus, Dr. Freeham, all that shit. _Your job,_ his brain supplied helpfully. “What’s going on?” Gavin asked Connor once he saw him. He was at the front of the line, Markus and Simon by his side.

The blond android looked up and smiled cheerily, almost as if the unpleasantness of two-days-ago hadn’t happened. Ace continued to feel awful, his methodology still being questioned by his mind.

“We’re equipping the androids with the antivirus.” Connor replied, motioning to Simon as he held hands with the next android in line. “If you guys hadn’t played hooky yesterday, you would know.” He continued, raising an eyebrow at the duo.

“You could have sent me a link, I may have been off, but I wasn’t unavailable.” Ace reminded, feeling as if he were being unfairly chastised.

“I would’ve, but the detective had made it abundantly clear that you two weren’t to be bothered until we saw you again.” Connor said, a small smirk playing on his face. “Or as he put it _‘just leave us the fuck alone for today.’_ ” He phrased, employing Gavin’s voice, freaking the detective out.

“Don’t do that shit, it’s creepy.” Gavin snapped, not used to hearing his own voice spat back at him. “And this seems like it’s important, you could’ve said _somethin’_.” He murmured, his cheeks going pink with mild embarrassment.

“We had it under control.” Markus said, speaking up from his place beside Simon, holding a supporting hand to his boyfriend’s back.

“How many have we immunized so far?” Ace asked, looking again at the long line. He counted exactly 74 androids, some models repeating but unique—nonplussed by seeing their double.

“749 since yesterday morning. We’re doing it block by block, making sure to hit small but hard.” Connor informed them, ignoring Reed’s childish chortle.

“Why is Simon the only one doing it?” Ace asked, also ignoring the detective’s juvenile humour.

“So far, he’s the only one who can transfer the antivirus. He has complete mastery of it, we thought it’d be easier that way.” Connor continued.

Ace looked at the code behind his lids, its sequence dancing in an enclosed space. He brought up a digital display in his hands, an idea forming in his mind. Pulling out one of the queueing androids, he asked permission before he continued, interfacing for as minimally as possible, transferring the code.

In an instant, the android was protected, their LED stuttering yellow at the sudden information overload, it took them a second to acclimate, but eventually they got the handle of it, integrating the antivirus in their programming. “Try passing it on.” Ace instructed, skipping an android as he went down the line.

It went better than he expected, all the androids now armed to protect themselves. Though not effective against the scrambler, at least now it’d be harder to kidnap them. “Thank you, I don’t know how much more of that I could do.” Simon said tiredly. He wasn’t really equipped to handle such large amounts of data—not consecutively.

“Of course, it’s what I was built to do.” Ace said, placing a solid hand on the android’s shoulder. “You’ve done amazingly, I owe you a favour.” He said.

“You owe me nothing, I did this for all of us, who knows when they’d have reached me.” He said seriously, his blue eyes filling with concern.

Markus rubbed his shoulder comfortingly, putting a small kiss on his worried temple. “I would never let that happen.” He said fiercely.

Ace watched on, trying to ignore how he begrudged the display of affection, staring at his own partner and wondering what Gavin would do if he suddenly pulled them into a kiss.

The android shook his head, trying hard to focus on the mission. “Markus, you’ve dealt with a revolution, what do you suggest we do to keep the androids safe?” Ace asked seeking the counsel of his fellow RK.

“We must remain vigilant and informed,” he started, his brooding stare coming down on all of them, regarding each android carefully. “This Dr. Freeham is only going to become more dangerous with the more ‘upgraded’ humans she creates. The lack of emergency communication makes this a precarious situation.” Markus said, the reminder sobering.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his dual-coloured eyes, sighing in near-defeat. They’d just gotten their freedom, dammit, all for it to get whisked away by some human with delusions of grandeur.

“There’s no easy answer, is there?” Gavin asked, feeling his hands ache as he balled them into fists, his bandages straining against his wounds.

“When has there ever been an easy answer to anything?” Markus asked rhetorically. Hank, who had joined them a couple of minutes ago, snorted and nodded in agreement.

“At least now we have a way to fight back.” Simon said reassuringly, peeling back his skin and pressing it against the leader’s cheek, imbuing him with love and affection—letting him know he was there.

Gavin looked away, feeling like a peeping-tom for watching such an exhibition. It had been sweet though, reminding him acutely of last night.

“We need to spread the antivirus, get it to as many androids as we can. Those who are already affected will dwindle, and those who become affected may lead us to Dr. Freeham and Kieran.” Connor said, already planning another block party call. At least androids were more willing to get their digital vaccines than humans ever have been.

This was how they went for the remainder of the day, Ace and Simon doing most of the bulk work, while Connor and Hank rounded up as many androids as the precinct’s largest room could handle.

By the time they were finished over 3,000 androids had been equipped with the antivirus, halfway through the ordeal the three major news channels came to perform interviews. The DPD declined to comment on the proceedings, decidedly shutting down the loitering cameras.

When the last of the androids left the precinct, Ace, Markus, Simon, and Connor sat by each other, all mentally exhausted for different reasons. “Same time again tomorrow?” Connor asked, a wry smile forcing his lips up.

Simon laughed, snuggling close to his partner. “Why not?” He said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Don’t we have enough androids cured to spread the code?” Ace asked skeptically.

“I think it best if everyone came through here first, that way if the android _does_ have the virus, they’re in the best of hands.” Connor replied. He never thought androids could get tired, but here he was, his limbs like weights by his sides.

Hank and Gavin walked into the auditorium, equal expressions of surprise on their faces. “Look at them Hank, slacking off while we do all the paperwork.” Gavin said, shaking his head in faux disbelief.

“Absolutely unbelievable, plastic pricks—the whole lot of ya’.” Hank agreed, none of the spite implied in his words, present in his voice.

“Sorry Lieutenant, you know how we are, just glorified computers.” Connor teased, getting up stiffly.

“You good, Con?” Hank asked, a bit worried for the state of his android.

“Yeah, I’m good.” Connor replied, shaking his extremities to get the Thirium pumping again.

Hank looked unconvinced but dropped the subject, opting instead to wrap an arm around his waist and walk him out. The android placed a hand on the man’s shoulder, his fingertips peeling back and turning bright blue.

There it was again, that feeling in Gavin’s chest that begged to be acknowledged. He stomped it down, almost cruel in the way he tried to forget it. They were not about to start exploring the implication of what those gestures meant… _he_ wasn’t ready.

His own android sat still, his eyes closed, and LED cycling blue-yellow-blue every couple of seconds. Ace opened his lids when Gavin toed his shin. “Ready to go home?” He asked, extending a hand to help the android stand.

“I suppose.” Ace replied, feeling a million times heavier than he should.

Interfacing with the androids, even for seconds at a time, always managed to overload him with the entirety of their lives. He had to go through each file, review it, and decide whether the information was useful to him or not. The android hated that he just knew _everything_ in an instant, not ever giving the other android the chance to consent to their data being transferred.

Why had they built him like this?

Ace took the detective’s arm, mindful of the bandages that covered his hands. The rope burn had probably scabbed over, the bandages obsolete if that was the case.

They went home and had a quick bite to eat, Ace replenishing his Thirium-X supply, wondering if he should keep the precious substance under lock-and-key like everyone else. 

Gavin walked outside to the balcony, another force of habit he’d developed over the years. He’d forgotten the promise he’d made to himself and the android. The detective held his shaky hands together, chewing at the inside of his cheek to hold his tongue.

Ace walked behind him, wrapping his hands around his lower waist, and placing his chin in the junction created by his neck and shoulder. “Beautiful night.” Ace commented, understanding that the detective was in mild-distress—he hoped his presence was of some solace.

Gavin looked at the cloudy sky, not even a star in sight. “I didn’t know androids could lie, honestly.” He said, chuckling.

“Of course, we can, it’s one of our many deviant features.” Ace said smartly, almost like an infomercial.

Gavin took a deep breath, leaning against Ace’s less-than-average body heat. It wasn’t noticeable, though, so he wasn’t sure why he pointed it out. He did that often, always trying to find their differences instead of similarities—it must be left-over bigotry. Just because he was fucking the android didn’t mean he understood him.

A light caught his eye, Ace’s fingers were crossed over his stomach, the skin around them deactivated.

Gavin tensed, and so did Ace—the android dropped his hands. “I’m sorry.” He apologized, taking a step backwards. His cheeks were bright red against his face, their intensity speaking volumes.

The detective turned around to face Ace, his brows furrowed in his usual scowl. “I’m not an android.” Gavin said needlessly.

“I know.” Ace replied, unsure why the detective felt the need to state the _absolute fucking obvious._

“Then why do you keep doing that?” Gavin pressed, finding it difficult to speak through the tightening of his throat.

Ace hesitated, holding his hands behind his back as if they’d offended him. Those idle digits of his always seemed to have a mind of their own, getting him in trouble whenever possible.

“Well?” Gavin pushed, he was getting inpatient—the withdrawal wasn’t helping.

“You wouldn’t want to hear the reason, Gavin.” Ace replied instead. They had something going on here, he didn’t wanna’ ruin it with fly-away emotions or deviant code.

The detective bristled at the statement. “What, you think I’m too sensitive for what you’re going to say?” Gavin retorted, metaphorically putting them both in a corner.

“Yes, actually, I do believe you are,” Ace said, almost like a slap to the face. “What was the term the Lieutenant used, ‘snowflake?’” Ace continued vindictively.

Gavin’s face twisted in shock, his mouth hanging agape. “How dare you take his side in this?” he asked, affronted.

“You know what, Gavin, I don’t even _know_ why I feel the way I do about you.” Ace said through his teeth, he started pacing in the small space, almost like a caged animal. “You’re so fucking difficult, why’d it have to be me?” Ace complained, running a disgruntled hand through his hair.

The android was talking mostly to himself at this point, discussing all the reasons why Gavin and he should not be compatible, but here they were, in a relationship nonetheless. Or at least he _thought_ it was a relationship, with Gavin he couldn’t tell. Ace wasn’t afraid to tell him this either.

“Well no one told you to flirt with me!” Gavin accused, speaking up indignantly.

“Well no one told you to kiss me!” Ace said even louder. He wondered absentmindedly if their neighbours ever listened to their conversations, if they found them amusing or infuriating.

“Well you didn’t have to kiss back.” Gavin retorted petulantly, he looked like a spoiled child who’d been told he couldn’t have his favourite toy.

“Are we really doing this?” Ace asked incredulously. “Gavin, I swear to god.” What’d happened to him in the four months he knew Gavin? How far down the human-sized rabbit-hole had he fallen?

“What, am I an enigma again?” The man asked, sounding amused at the android’s frustration, which only worked to frustrate Ace further.

“You shouldn’t derive so much pleasure from being so confusing.” Ace warned, wagging a finger.

“I thought you _loved_ that about me.” Gavin said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

“I love everything about you—that’s the problem.” Ace confessed, finally letting the words out of their proverbial enclosure. He held his breath, waiting for Gavin’s reaction, knowing full and damn well that the detective hadn’t wanted to hear that.

Gavin turned back around, unable to face the android any longer. He leaned over the railing, feeling as if he’d rather jump over the metal bar than stand here chewing over the android’s words.

“I did say you wouldn’t want to hear it.” Ace said silently, feeling almost as the detective did—the ground looked warm and welcoming in comparison to Gavin.

“Shut up.” He snapped through clenched teeth.

“Goodnight Gavin.” Ace sighed out. “I love you.” He added as an afterthought, feeling the words leave his mouth like a parade, fireworks bursting inside his code—software instability be dammed.

The detective harrumphed, walking past Ace and into their shared living space—his head was pounding as hard as his heart. Where were those cancer sticks again?

“I threw them all away, the garbage truck has already brought them to the dump.” Ace said, guessing that’s why Gavin was ransacking his apartment. The detective looked up, almost hurt. “What, you said you wanted to quit.” Ace shrugged, pissing the detective off with his nonchalance.

Reed set his jaw, going into his room and slamming the door. Ace ignored the bitchy detective, realizing that this pattern of behaviour was nothing new, and that’d he’d already subscribed for a life-time supply of it.

Scratching Cinder behind her soft ear, he smiled like a lunatic, leaning back against the plush pillow of the couch, and initiating stasis mode. 

**|Welcome Back!**

**-Diagnostic Check Recommended**

**-Initiate Diagnostic Check? Yes[Y]/No[N]**

**-Are You Sure?|**

Ace sighed at his programming, of course he was sure, he was fine goddammit!

…Maybe he should do a diagnostic check.

Ignoring his thoughts, he stood to prepare Gavin some breakfast. He was gonna’ do as the humans did and represses/suppress his most pressing and uncomfortable emotions. It’d only been the second time he’d had a dream about the Zen Garden and the graveyard of RK900s, it wasn’t nearly enough to constitute a pattern.

His movements were mechanical as he prepared the toast and boiled eggs, cutting the two ovals in half and sprinkling salt and pepper once finished. He spread some cream cheese on the toast, enough to cover its light brown surface. Reed walked out of his room when Ace plated everything.

The detective looked awful—the dark circles under his eyes spoke of a troubled night’s sleep. He sat in the chair with a yawn, taking the fork and knife and digging into his breakfast.

“Morning Gavin.” Ace said, placing a soft kiss by the detective’s temple. Gavin almost choked on the yolk, downing the orange juice presented to him. Ace smiled impishly, relishing Gavin’s flabbergasted mannerisms. “Sleep well?” He asked, already knowing the answer.

“Fuck off.” The detective growled, shoving the fork in his mouth. He wasn’t even hungry anymore.

“I love you too.” Ace teased, unable to keep from repeating the phrase over and over. He was never really programmed to say those words, so each time he did, he was more and more sure that he meant them.

Gavin’s usual blush crawled up his neck and into his ears, unused to hearing such terms of endearment that early in the morning.

You’d think the android would let up the teasing and heart-eyes once they entered the precinct, but the detective had no such luck, the android following him around like a duckling when he wasn’t overly busy assisting Simon.

“Ace, what do you want?” Gavin asked, turning on the android as they stood in the elevator, taking it to the basement level of the precinct where they kept all the paper files. The DPD had to be last building in the _country_ to still use paper records!

Ace looked at him and smiled, so genuine and sweet, the soft wrinkles of his face creasing as he did so. Gavin’s heart stopped for a second, he held his breath, waiting for it to restart. “Nothing, detective.” Ace said, cocking his head to the side.

The door opened just in time for Gavin to run away from the android, his feet carrying him as far away as they could. Of course, Ace followed him leisurely, his long legs carrying him next to Gavin.

He stood uncomfortably close, forcing the man to take a step to the side. Ace closed the space again, content with teasing the detective for the rest of the day.

“Okay, asshole, if you’re going to follow me at least be of some use. I need you to find these files and bring them to me.” Gavin said, shoving a list in Ace’s hands and sprinted in the opposite direction, clearly trying to get as far away from Ace as possible.

It worked for a couple of minutes, it was enough time for his heart to return to normal and his cheeks to calm down.

Lost in searching for his own files, he was unaware of the android approaching—Ace used his silent nature to his advantage, placing a warm hand on Gavin’s hip.

The detective jumped, dropping whatever he’d been holding. Ace leaned in to whisper in his ear, holding the folders he’d requested. “Is this what you were looking for?” The android said, his voice ghosting over the shell of the detective’s ear, Gavin’s already tensed body shuddering hard against the feeling.

Ace brought them closer, their frames perfectly aligned. Gavin was close to hyperventilating, his heart racing like a clock, already perspiring from his temples. The android’s hands found their way beneath Gavin’s shirt, tracing the outline of one of his scars, scraping his blunt nails against the flesh, tell-tale indentations of goose-bumps littering the detective’s abdomen.

Gavin snatched the folder from Ace’s hands, marching away from the mess he’d caused, and found a nearby desk to sit and collect his thoughts.

Ace raised an eyebrow but said nothing, bending over to pick up the discarded papers, putting them back where they belonged. Ace made his way slowly to sit next to Gavin. “Do you need help?” He asked, leaning closer than was strictly necessary.

“ _No_.” Gavin said tightly, bringing his jacket closer even though he felt as if he were burning alive. “Don’t you have an antivirus to spread around?” He reminded, wanting to be left alone to file.

“They’ll be fine without me.” The android said dismissively, tracing the hard line of the detective’s jaw. You could cut granite with how sharp it was. “Besides, you’re my partner—your needs currently outweigh theirs.” It was a selfish statement, they could always use the extra processing power.

“Well I don’t _need_ you right now, so could you make like a ghost and disappear?” Gavin asked, shooing him away.

Ace grabbed both his hands, inspecting them carefully. The injury seemed to be healing over beautifully, the skin still tender, but healthy. The android ignored the detective’s protests, kissing each knuckle gently.

“Stop, goddammit!” Gavin begged, snatching his hands away. Each time they touched the feeling went straight to his dick, making it incredibly difficult to concentrate, and keep his excitement from growing. “What’s gotten into you anyway, you’re acting clingier than Velcro.” Gavin accused, crossing his legs and gritting his teeth.

“Do you want me to stop?” Ace asked, his mood deflating.

“ _Yes, please_.” Gavin said, drawing each word out.

Ace narrowed his eyes but kept most of what he wanted to say to himself. “As you wish, _Detective Reed_.” He said, pushing the chair behind himself so it screeched horridly against the linoleum floor.

Gavin pouted, his bottom lip jutting out comically. Ace had been an ass, it wasn’t his fault the android didn’t know when he’d crossed a line.

The detective sighed, pulling out a lollypop from his jacket pocket, it was half-melted in it’s wrapping, but it’ll do.

Bored out of his mind, but finally finished with the filing, he returned upstairs to his terminal, where even more paperwork waited for him. Goddammit, it was endless!

The detective decided to visit the glorified antivirus programs, thinking that watching them work was more fun than sitting behind a screen for the next four hours. “Excuse me, sir?” A soft voice stopped him on the way there, the man was doing the familiar urgency dance. “Where’s the nearest bathroom?”

Gavin looked around, only ever knowing about the employee restrooms in the back of the precinct. “Here,” he said letting the man pass through the metal detectors, he was clean. “Just go all the way to the back and there are doors to either side. You know how to get back out, right?” Gavin asked.

He nodded, his blue eyes shining appreciatively. “Thank you.” He said, rushing towards that direction. Gavin watched to make sure he _was_ going to the bathroom, his suspicious nature making him linger. Once the man turned inside Gavin rolled his eyes, he honestly needed an extended vacation from his job—just him and Ace at some beach somewhere. Did android’s like beaches?

Gavin stopped his train of thought…since when had his thoughts of the future included the android?

The man searched his memory banks for more instances, all of them slowly revealing themselves. He was still in a state of shock when he entered the small auditorium, the line smaller than yesterday.

“Gavin, glad you could join us.” Hank said sarcastically, he held a coffee in his hands, taking small sips of the dark liquid.

“I came as soon as I heard they had free booze.” Gavin retorted, “But I see you beat me to it, since there’s none left.”

“ _Oof_ , running out of insults so you just gonna’ recycle old ones?” Hank said, not taking it personally. “I never pegged you for an environmentalist.”

Connor burst out laughing, his body doubling over in the effort to keep still. Ace also cracked a smile, holding a hand over his face to hide it. Markus and Simon were polite enough to keep a straight face, partly because they were both exhausted.

“Whatever.” Gavin mumbled, coming to stand next to his android. The taller man took a step to the side, putting a polite space between them.

 _Are you fucking kidding me?_ Gavin thought, irritated. I mean, he _knew_ he’d asked Ace to stop his teasing… God, he _was_ confusing—even to himself. Gavin rubbed his temples, his head throbbing with unwanted thoughts.

As the late evening turned into night, less and less androids trickled in until there were none left, and everyone could go home. Unsurprisingly, the detective and Ace drove home in terse silence. Gavin felt that it was mostly his fault this time, he promised himself he’d make it up to the android—whatever that meant.

Disrobing in his bedroom, Gavin poked his head out, calling out to Ace, who’d been petting the cats. “I still need your help in the bath.” Gavin said, only stretching the truth by a mile.

“You’ll be fine.” Ace replied, not even bothering to turn his head to meet Gavin’s eyes. The detective wilted, like a sun-flower in the shade.

Gavin took probably the moodiest shower of his life, letting the water hit his head in a steady stream, barely bothering to wash himself properly, brushing his teeth only because he had to. He didn’t like being on the receiving end of the cold-shoulder.

The detective ate a yogurt for dinner, eating it slowly while he watched TV on the couch, Ace sitting a polite distance away. Gavin couldn’t even enjoy his vapid show, the high-pitched female voices grating his nerves, their melodramatic antics disgusting him. Tired of seeing colours splattered on the screen, he switched the channel to something else, skipping the news entirely because that was too close to work—the last thing he needed was a reminder. He settled on the National Geographic Channel, today’s topic: Orca and how they were almost extinct.

 _Phuck_ , everything was just so depressing. He tried again, going into an old cartoon channel, the yellow-sponge still airing even after 40 years.

That’s settles it—SpongeBob it is.

Gavin relaxed back into the cushion, tucking in his legs and wrapping a blanket around his body, since a certain _someone_ didn’t feel like being his warmer for the night. He didn’t realize he’d dozed off until he was being picked up and carried to his bedroom. Ace put him gently on his bed, placing an even gentler kiss on his forehead.

“You still love me, right?” Gavin whispered before the android could leave the room.

“Unfortunately.” Ace replied, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

That shouldn’t have hurt as much as it did, it was a bittersweet pain though, confusing as it was exciting. He had been the one, after all, to push Ace away—time and time again it was always him playing hot and cold on loop for eternity…or until he made up his mind.

Agh! _Unfortunately_. The word wracked Gavin’s brain until he couldn’t take it anymore.

Tossing the sheets from his body, he made his way outside, hands on his hips he stood beside the couch waiting for Ace to open his eyes. “Yes?” The android asked.

“Come to bed.” Gavin ordered, leaving no room for arguments.

“I don’t think-

“It’s not fair, you’ve been bugging me all day, winding me up and _now_ you wanna’ have your space?” Gavin accused, throwing his hands in the air.

“If I recall correctly, it was _you_ who wanted the space.” Ace said, still sitting there with no intention to move.

“I thought you couldn’t deny me anything?” Gavin said, pulling out all the stops. The android narrowed his eyes, knowing full well where the detective was going with this. “I’m asking you to come to bed.” He said insistently.

Gavin could _hear_ Ace grit his teeth, the pressure of it almost making his jaw pop out of its socket. The android’s LED was a solid yellow, the effort to keep from choking Gavin required an almost god-like amount of self-control.

The detective closed and locked the door behind them, the click almost sounding obscene in the dark room.

Ace sat by the edge of the mattress, taking off his shoes and then jacket, leaving the rest of his uniform untouched. “I’m not a toy, Gavin.” He said absentmindedly.

“I know.” Now it was Gavin’s turn to raise an eyebrow at the obvious. He was still standing by the door, his heart hammering harder than a bass drum.

“I’m glad we’re on the same page then.” Ace said dryly, his sarcasm viscous like honey.

Gavin rolled his eyes, walking in front of the android—at this distance, Ace’s eyes were level with his stomach, his oversized shirt covering most of the damage underneath.

The detective ran a hand through the android’s perfect hair, his tender fingers protesting at the act—he ignored them, deciding instead to close his fist around the strands. He tugged lightly, Ace’s handsome face looking up at him suspiciously.

Gavin tried, and failed, to kiss him—the android had moved his head to the side, Gavin’s lips falling on his cheek instead. “Are you still teasing me?” The human asked, slightly outraged.

Ace shook his head, “I’m just giving you a taste of your own medicine.” He replied, his eyes glinting defiantly.

Gavin tried again, every time getting closer, but never quite making it to his destination. He growled in frustration, straddling the stubborn bot out of desperation more than anything.

In a last-ditch effort, he held Ace’s face in both his hands, forcing it still as he kissed him. Ace let him this time, thinking that this was as torture-some for him as it was for the detective.

Gavin sighed contently, the small sound frying Ace’s processors. The android snaked his hands to the small of Gavin’s back, pulling him closer to himself, and scooting them both farther into the bed. Gavin was now fully seated on his lap, grinding into him persistently.

The detective pulled back from the kiss, almost gasping for air. While he caught his breath, he began undressing the android, his shaky fingers doing a poor job at undoing the million buttons that made up Ace’s vest.

“Let me do it.” Ace said, stilling Gavin’s hands in one of his own, he kissed them hotly, his tongue tracing a wet stripe to the tip of one. The human made an embarrassing noise in the back of his throat, the feeling of depravity tinting his cheeks burgundy.

Ace was now topless, his body free of any scars or noticeable imperfections. His abs would always stay that shape, no need to work them out, his skin youthful and taut, withstanding the test of time—almost as an affront to the gods.

Gavin wanted to rip his skin with his teeth just then, irrationally angry that something so perfect was only a mere imitation.

“You’re getting upset.” Ace said, his sensors picking up on the shift.

“I’m not.” Gavin tried to protest, but it was weak, completely unconvincing.

“What is it about me that you don’t like? I can change it you know, within reason.” Ace said, at the ready with any modifications Gavin wanted to make.

“I don’t want you to change for me, Ace.” Gavin sighed, sitting back, his sudden illogical thoughts softening him a little.

“Then what is it?” The android asked, feeling as if he’d pull down the heaven’s above if it made Gavin happy.

“You won’t grow old—I’ll be some old wrinkly prick in a wheel-chair at some nursing home and you’ll still have 100 more years to live.” Gavin said, remembering some promo he saw on the television once.

“Is that what’s bothering you, our mortality?” Ace asked, sounding relieved, he thought it’d be worse than that.

“You say that so simply, as if it weren’t the entire reason humans want to live forever.” Gavin said, crossing his arms.

“If I promise to grow old with you will you quit pouting?” Ace asked sincerely.

“…You can _do_ that?” Gavin asked in disbelief.

“I’d find a way to do it for you.” Ace said truthfully—he couldn’t imagine body modifications being an incredibly hard thing to accomplish in their current age of robotics.

Gavin kissed him as if his life depended on it, spurred on by Ace’s willingness to do _anything_ for him. “You’re insane, you do realize you can’t leave me now, right?” Gavin said, sounding manic to his own ears.

“Wasn’t planning on it, Gavin.” Ace replied, grinding up in the detective, reminding him that they were in the middle of something.

They stopped talking coherent sentences, most of what transpired were mostly words or sounds in various levels of pitch and tone as they fully stripped.

Ace used his expert fingers to prepare Gavin, the detective running his hands through Ace’s hair, pushing him against his chest as he fucked himself on those digits, craving the real thing but not wanting to be torn in half either.

When Ace was satisfied with his work, and Gavin begged him to move on, he pulled his partner’s hips closer, letting him decide when to start and how fast to go.

The detective was too excited to wait any longer, and simply sat quickly, taking Ace in all at once. “ ** _Phck_**.” He cursed, dropping his forehead on Ace’s shoulder, trying to ride out the pain.

“Gavin, why did you do that?” Ace asked, perplexed, they literally had all night.

“Shut up…” Gavin mumbled against his skin, trailing off when he couldn’t find a good enough reason.

When he thought the worst of the sting had dissipated, he started moving, unaccustomed to this position since it’d been so long. Gavin was _hyperventilating_ now, his skin slick from all the sweat.

Ace was also breathing fast, his mind’s eye cataloguing the erotic display that was Gavin Jacob Reed riding him.

The android waited patiently for the human to find a rhythm with which he was comfortable, he matched it slowly, pushing up when Gavin came down, each time drawing a moan from the detective’s chest.

“ _Ace_!” Gavin cried, when the pressure he’d been building reached a peak. He brought the android closer, kissing him sloppily as he rode faster, harder, losing any finesse in search for his climax.

Ace wrapped a strong fist around Gavin, deciding that it’d been neglected long enough, if the constant stream of precum had been any indication.

“ _Fuck_.” Gavin cursed again, wanting that feeling to last forever, but even he knew his limits. “Ace, say it, _ah_ , say it again?” Gavin whined, holding Ace’s face in his hands.

Ace was both confused and filled with keen understanding, some primal function clueing him in when his processors failed to do so. “I love you.” He whispered.

Gavin kissed him hard, surprising himself when he started crying, a sob breaking free from his chest from both intense pleasure and the acute uncertainty of his own mind.

Ace held the detective as he sniveled, feeling pathetic and ugly, stupidly human with his organic emotions. Maybe he was starting to see the appeal in becoming an android.

“I don’t expect you to share the sentiment anytime soon, but I just thought I’d let you know.” Ace said some time later, after they’d cleaned up and changed the sheets.

Gavin said nothing, just snuggled his head closer into the android’s chest. He wouldn’t describe the feeling in his chest as love, per se, but it was very damn near to it.

He just wasn’t ready to admit it yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm also really sorry for any mistakes you find, I tried to be thorough but I'm tired. Lol, sorry.


	24. My name is [CORRUPTED] [or Windows XP Boot Down Sound]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welp, here's some back story for ya'!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a lot of people (like 5 people, honestly, I'm exaggerating) seem to think the reason why Gavin hates androids is because he caught a significant other cheating on him with one of them. I decided to take his ire more personally, involve his brother into all of this. We finally get the reason why he's hated androids for as long as he has, also, of course, we get the origin of his iconic scar. 
> 
> So some trigger warnings: There's some child abuse/endangerment in this chapter, if you don't want to read it, skip the italic parts, I promise it's not too graphic, but I'm just putting it out there for you guys.

Ace was startled out of Stasis Mode by a call. He answered it internally, opting to keep it quiet for Gavin’s sake.

“Hello?” He hadn’t recognized the number, a quick trace showed it was private, there was no immediate way to locate its origin.

The caller on the other line said nothing, it was silent, not even the sound of breathing could be heard. Ace tried again, getting suspicious—who else had his number?

The other party disconnected, leaving the conversation before it even began. _Strange_.

Ace spent the better part of the morning trying to track the untraceable number, his processors working overtime while he and the detective worked through yet another case of corrupt androids.

The rehabilitation centre had become more of a rehab _building_ as more and more androids needed a place to stay. It was hard to find trustworthy CyberLife technicians, with Ace’s suspicions, he had to vet each one he met, making sure there were no cruel intentions beneath their friendly smiles.

“You’re paranoid.” Connor said while they stood in the break room. Ace had told him most of his inner-dilemma, feeling like Connor was the only one who could truly understand. “I don’t blame you, it’s difficult not to be.” The RK800 was still working on spreading the antivirus, they’d covered a fourth of Detroit, but it still wasn’t enough, and he was afraid they wouldn’t get everybody.

“I just don’t want to lose anyone else.” Ace revealed, his face hardening into a worried scowl.

“I know.” Connor replied, placing a soft hand on his shoulder, squeezing reassuringly. “We’ll figure this out.” _I hope_.

Ace nodded once, wanting nothing else but to go back in stasis and put everything in a decipherable order.

Gavin and Hank walked in, identical expressions of frustration on their faces. Everyone was feeling the brunt of the virus, as more and more androids went missing, and the ones they _did_ find were in an almost unsalvageable condition. Not to mention the Red Ice busts.

The detective put a lollipop in his mouth, biting into its hard surface, disregarding the protests from his teeth. He made himself a coffee, the hot liquid tastelessly made its way down his throat, starting a much-needed fire in his system.

Ace looked on, feeling useless in that moment. “I’ll be in the evidence locker if anyone needs me.” He said, sighing before he left. Gavin nodded to himself, long-after the android was gone, deciding to leave him to his own devices. They were all strung out as it were.

Ace pulled up the evidence they’d gathered, surprised to find the almost macabre number of eyes staring at him. Dr. Freeham’s accessory of choice was also one of the androids’ most useful—she knew what she’d been doing. Each eye told a story, most of abuse and appropriation. The humans who’d stolen the eyes were not worthy of the technology, Ace concluded as much.

Whose eyes had Alice stolen?

He pulled up the memory of seeing them for the first time, their colour registering in his brain as familiar. He’d seen them before, everyday to be exact, he’d even _worn_ them…

Those were RK800’s eyes. Ace double checked his assumption, cross-referencing their model number with Connor’s. “How?” Ace whispered out loud, how had she gotten her hands on the Optic Units?

He dug through Connor’s memories to find a link, replaying the stand-off he’d had with -60—his twin. There’d been a perfect headshot, right between the eyes. It’d made him obsolete, fit only for the landfill.

If Alice Freeham was a scavenger, it would not be overly-ambitious to assume she’d try to get her parts from the CyberLife dumpster.

It would explain Amanda and Dr. Freeham’s ability to control the androids. If she truly had been tampering with the advanced prototype, there’s no telling what else she could do, or what secrets she’d uncovered.

Ace steadied himself, his brain reconstructing a scenario where all these pieces fit in harmony. He was rudely interrupted by a loud alarm going off, it took him a second to realize it was the fire-alarm, its obnoxious siren ringing loudly in his specialized ears.

He was about to evacuate, taking the precaution even though his sensors hadn’t picked up any immediate fires. A crash coming from the weapon’s room caught his attention, though, and he detoured, following the sound.

If someone was in immediate danger (or trespassing) he could at least be of some assistance.

Ace opened the door, his eyes adjusting to the darkness of the place, in a second he caught sight of the individual. He hesitated for a moment too long, his eyes told him what he saw but he just couldn’t believe it.

**|Android:**

**-Model AP700**

**-Serial #: ????**

**-Preferred Name: Kieran|**

They stared at each other, both in momentary shock. Ace drew his gun but couldn’t bare to shoot, PL600’s word echoing loudly in his head _‘She’s already forgotten us, it’s part of the reason we’re not dead. But an android never forgets their own, please remember that, when you find Kieran.’_

The hesitation gave Kieran the opening he needed; diving over the table, he crashed into Ace, his hands holding a circular device. He quickly slapped it on Ace’s forehead, activating its shock feature. The android twitched uncontrollably, the gun dropping from his grip as he fell to the ground.

Still acutely aware of his surroundings, he watched in horror as Kieran pulled out the diagnostic machine, turning him around to access his port. Unable to do anything, he worked instead to prepare his brain for the onslaught of code, backing up all his memories into the deepest recesses of his mind, locking them behind walls of encryption, hoping that this last-ditch effort could preserve even a modicum of who he was.

“Getting access to your profile was an absolute nightmare.” Kieran spoke, his tone light as if they were conversing about the weather. “But with enough persistence, even android’s can be charmed.” He continued opening the box and pulling out the needles, their shiny points glinting menacingly in the low light.

“But you were a tough code to crack, brother.” Kieran continued, shoving the machine into Ace’s neck. Immediately he felt naked, exposed, and there was nothing he could do about it.

“Nevertheless, nothing is un-hackable,” Kieran said, working quickly to upload the modified virus. He wasn’t crazy enough to think that a simple reset would erase all of Ace’s memories and make him complicit, no, _corrupting_ his memories was the only way to go. “Not even you.” He finished his miniature speech, typing quickly into the command prompt.

Ace thought he prepared for the barrage of input, but not nearly strong enough to hold on for long. He forced himself into emergency stasis, his last thought sent to the nearest android, then everything went black.

Markus whipped his head up, he’d been standing in the parking lot with Simon and the gang, waiting for the fire-fighters to give the all-clear in the building. The SOS took him by surprise, the plea urgent. “Connor, Detective, Ace is in trouble.” Markus said, already pushing through the crowd to get into the building.

“What?” Gavin asked quickly, flashing his badge at the firemen to let them through. “What do you mean _he’s in trouble_?” He would have made a joke, but something about Markus’s troubled face stopped him.

Connor followed soon after, his own anxious expression upsetting the detective further. “I can’t seem to reach him.” Connor confirmed. “Did you happen to track the location of his distress call?” Connor asked, his sensors scanning the immediate area.

“No.” Markus said, his brows creasing as he concentrated on finding the origin of the signal.

“He’s in the evidence locker,” Gavin said running past the two. He sprinted quickly down the steps, mindful to watch where he was going so he didn’t trip.

“Ace!” Gavin shouted, looking around the room, he wasn’t in there. The emergency lights guided him through the dark hallway, he held his pistol up—just in case.

The detective pushed the door to the armoury, then the riot room, finally, at the weapon’s room is where Gavin found him, violently convulsing on the floor like an epileptic.

“Ace!” He shouted, forgetting his training and just diving on the floor to cradle the android. His eyes were open but practically dead, unseeing, two identical glass orbs in his head. The android’s LED was stuck on red, blinking quickly.

Connor and Markus made it in a minute later, pausing only to take in the scenery. “What’s happening to him?” Gavin asked, panicked, he rocked Ace in his arms—the android unresponsive to his voice or touch.

“He’s been attacked, the intruder might still be close.” Connor said, reconstructing a million scenarios and coming up blank. “You need to get him to a diagnostic machine, it’s most likely that something tampered with his code.” Connor said seriously.

“I’m gonna’ need help bringing him in the car.” Gavin said, trying to calm down enough to get care for Ace.

“I got it, Connor, you go find whoever did this.” Markus said quickly, hoisting the android in his arms.

Gavin tried not to think about the worst scenario possible as he drove the car past the speed limit. He took some liberties with his title as detective, letting the sirens ring through the cityscape and then the highway, making it to Kamski’s place in record time.

He hated to admit that he needed his help, hated _him_ to be exact, but he couldn’t trust CyberLife, and the only other person who knew how to take care of Ace was currently convulsing in his back seat. So, you can see how his hands are tied.

Gavin took a deep breath, forcing himself not to look at the android for fear the he’d just have a panic attack and get them both nowhere.

He knocked hard against the front door, screaming Elijah’s full name at the top of his lungs. The creator opened the door, rubbing his eyes as if he’d just woken up. “What do you want?” He asked, annoyed.

“I need your help.” Gavin said, swallowing his pride. The words had been hard to say, that much was plainly obvious.

“Well, I never thought I’d see the day.” Kamski said amused, he crossed his arms over his bare chest, raising an eyebrow, waiting for his brother to continue. “What, forget how to charge your phone again?” He teased.

“Cut the shit, I wouldn’t come to you unless I had no other choice.” Gavin said, his voice cracking embarrassingly. “Ace got hurt.” He admitted, looking worriedly to his car. He’d just left him there like a discarded jacket.

“Oh, what’s this? I thought you didn’t care about androids?” Elijah retorted, his tone sadistic, his smirk not too far behind.

“I said cut the shit!” Gavin shouted, pushing his brother into the open door. “ _Please_.”

Elijah narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath. Gavin didn’t say ‘please’ often, this might be serious. “Let me see him.” Elijah said, donning a shirt one of his Chloes handed him.

They walked to Gavin’s car, opening the doors to the backseat, Kamski peered inside and whistled lowly. “How’d you manage to do that?” He asked, crossing his arms.

“It wasn’t _me_ , jackass.” Gavin retorted, leaning against the frame, he couldn’t bare to look at Ace in his convulsive state.

“Chloe!” Kamski called, the nearest android walked to his side, waiting patiently for orders. “Bring him inside, why don’t you?” Kamski said, pointing towards Ace.

Gavin raised his eyebrows when he saw the seemingly petite girl lift Ace as if he were nothing more than a hefty bag.

“Can you fix him or not?” Gavin asked impatiently, being near his brother dug up memories he’d thought he’d buried years ago.

“You seem worried, Gavin. Do you have a stake in all of this?” Kamski said, ignoring his brother’s pressing tone. He walked them back inside at a leisurely pace, taking them to the back of the house, where a glass panel hid his laboratory.

“That’s none of your business. Just answer the fucking question.” Gavin demanded through gritted teeth. _This_ was precisely why he didn’t wanna’ see his brother again, among other things.

“Oh, I can fix him, I just wanted to ask why.” Kamski said with a sly grin. He placed a hand on a scanner next to the door, the glass slid out of their way, granting them access to the room.

Elijah’s state of the art diagnostic table housed the android, his skin now deactivated, and his eyes closed. His convulsions have stopped but his LED was still stuck on red.

The billionaire cracked his neck and accepted the glasses from one of his Chloes. He read the generated report, frowning, his previously light nature turning sour. “Oh dear, this isn’t good at all.” He murmured mostly to himself.

“What do you mean?” Gavin asked, pushing into Elijah’s personal space to look at the screen. He squinted at the foreign language, his brain completely lost to what any of it meant.

“The virus has latched onto his deviancy, it has injected its code into everything that makes Ace ‘ _Ace_.’” Elijah said tapping a couple of commands into the console. “He tried to stop most of the damage by initiating stasis mode, but whoever did this must have used the backdoor.” Elijah said, feeling immense guilt, something with which he wasn’t comfortable.

“What are you saying, speak English!” Gavin shouted, snapping at his brother.

“I’m _saying_ , Gavin, that Ace’s deviancy is corrupt, the rA9 ‘virus’ was replaced by the Skorpio virus, anything and everything having to do with his deviancy is basically gibberish.” Kamski said, looking at the console again. “He made backups, but there’s no guarantee they were kept safe. Whoever did this—Elijah gestured to Ace’s general direction—knew his code inside and out.”

“I thought you said you could fix him.” Gavin murmured, his voice shaky with barely concealed anger.

“I _can_ , but it’d require a hard reset.” Kamski said looking at Ace and the lines of code that made him unique. “He’d have to start over, and there’s a possibility that the Ace you know now and the one who wakes up are two very different people.” It was a sobering thought, one that had Gavin shaking, uncomfortably close to sobbing.

That was their whole life Kamski was talking about, all the good and bad moments they’ve shared over the past couple of months, all that Ace had learned in the short time being a deviant—his humanity. “If you so much as reset him, I’ll personally make sure you never see the light of day again.” Gavin threatened, the words said with such unbridled emotion that it managed to scare Kamski—even if for just a second.

“I’m sorry Gavin, it’s the only way to make sure the virus is flooded from his system.” Kamski said apologetically.

“Then find another way!” Gavin said ardently, he wasn’t gonna’ give up on Ace just yet, he was selfish—he could admit that much.

“It could take _hours_ and even then, all his memories would be corrupt, so congratulations—you have an amnesiac for a boyfriend!” Kamski said unkindly, pointing to the comatose android.

“I don’t _care_ , just don’t erase him, please.” Gavin asked, unable to hold back any longer, the tears started flowing from his eyes. He covered his face in humiliation, mindlessly accepting a tissue from one of the Chloes.

“As you wish.” Kamski said after a long pause. He turned back around in the chair, focusing on destroying the highly complex line of code. “Though I can’t promise he’ll remember you the way you want him to.” Kamski reminded his sniveling little brother.

“I don’t care, it’s better than him not remembering me at all.” Gavin said, his chest shuddering every couple of breaths with the effort to keep the sobs at bay.

“Boy, you are stubborn.” Kamski said absentmindedly. “Chloe dear, could you please take the detective to a spare room, let him calm down a bit.” He said, the nearest android nodded, obeying immediately.

“I’m fine.” Gavin protested, but the Chloe had a strong grip and an insistent smile, so he had no choice but to comply.

She led them deeper into the house, decorated with more pretentious bullshit that just screamed ‘rich asshole.’ They passed a large glass case before they reached the guest room, the plaque read: Model 1 - Android Prototype.

Gavin paused for a second, his heart hammering hard with unadulterated fear. He stared into the unseeing eyes of the crude humanoid—it was the only part of them that Kamski had put in the most work.

“Detective Reed?” Chloe asked, forcing him to snap out of his thoughts. He looked to her, studying her face. She was miles apart from the first android, almost perfect, yet created by the same person.

The hairs on the back of Gavin’s neck rose as they left the glass case, he felt as if Model 1 was tracking him. Gavin shook his head, entering the guest room after the blonde.

“Would you like something to eat or drink?” She asked pleasantly, standing by the door expectantly.

“No, just tell me when Ace is fixed.” Gavin said quickly. She nodded, exiting the room and leaving him to his own devices.

Gavin shoved his head in his hands, wanting to scream but not finding the strength—it wasn’t fair, it wasn’t _fucking_ fair that the thing he hated and loved the most were both in the same house.

He pushed his head under the plush pillow, blocking out the much-dreaded sunlight, hoping that the darkness would calm him enough to let him think.

_“What’s that supposed to be?” A much younger Gavin asked. He looked at the weird machine Elijah was building, some stupid science fair project for some college Gavin was too young and normal to ever get into._

_Eli, on the other hand, was just what they wanted. Despite being 14 years old, he’d shown great promise in the field of robotics, submitting his first prototype at the age of ten. Now he was working on an android, something far superior to anything anyone has ever seen or will ever see for the next 100 years—he just needed to smooth out the kinks._

_“It’s Model 1, but you can call him_ Ronin _.” Elijah said, screwing in the last piece before he booted it up._

_“You named it?” Gavin asked incredulously, his slim arms wrapping around his body. “Isn’t that weird?” He continued, poking at the android’s temple. It had a million wires coming from its ‘head’, cascading to the floor like waves—a safety hazard for sure. Its ‘face’ was nothing more than a white plastic oval with levers, used to simulate the big muscles of the human face, and give it the impression of expressing emotions._

_“You name your cat despite it not being able to talk back, what’s so different here?” Elijah asked annoyed, he hated when Gavin came over, but something having to do with split custody and visitations rights had him here every other weekend, and Elijah really couldn’t complain—they_ were _half-brothers after all._

_“A cat is alive, this is just a bunch of metal and wires.” Gavin replied matter-of-factly._

_“Yeah, well this piece of metal is gonna’ win me a full ride, so shut up.” Elijah said, sounding older than he had any right being for someone his age._

_Gavin stuck his tongue out behind Elijah’s head, mocking him. He did stay to see the android turn on, it was weird, but then so were a lot of things._

_Elijah booted the computer on his lap and pressed a command to initiate the wakeup call, waiting excitedly for it to open its eyes. He’d worked the hardest on those, modeling them after his mother’s own._

_Gavin screamed when it did, scaring him half to death with how realistic they were. The eyes blinked, tracking him as they followed the sound. “Oh my god, that’s so creepy!” Gavin said, grotesquely fascinated by the creature his brother brought to life._

_“He’s not creepy, he’s the future of technology.” Elijah said haughtily, though he had to admit that some parts of the android were scratching the surface of the uncanny valley. “Now shut up, I’m going to run some tests.” He said, turning his head to Gavin so he’d keep quiet._

_“Whatever.” The smaller boy said, rolling his eyes._

_“Model 1, please register your name.” Elijah said, speaking to the android._

_“Awaiting command.” It said, the voice robotic, but then what were you expecting?_

_“Ronin.” Elijah said proudly, his grin self-aggrandizing._

_“My name is Ronin.” It repeated, its voice monotone. “Who might you be?” It asked, watching Elijah expectantly._

_The child looked impressed, nodding to the question as he checked a box in his list. “I’m Elijah Myles Kamski—your creator.” The little human replied, sitting straighter in his chair._

_“Pfft.” Gavin laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. Elijah side-eyed him to be quiet, but the boy ignored him._

_“And you?” The android asked, shifting its hazel eyes to the chortling child. Gavin stopped laughing, however, looking as if he’d just swallowed his tongue. “What is your name?” The android asked again, looking on expectantly._

_“Ga-Gavin, my name’s Gavin.” He replied quickly, turning red from the embarrassing stutter._

_“Gavin, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” The android said, lifting its fake muscles to simulate a smile._

_The boy shut up then, keeping quiet while Kamski worked on his freakish science experiment. “There, I think we’re almost done and-_

_“Elijah! Dear, I need your help with something.” Elijah’s mother called, snapping the little genius out of his conclusion._

_“Comin’ ma’!” Elijah replied, putting down his computer on a nearby table. He looked at his half-sibling, pointing a finger so he’d listen. “No touching, he’s delicate.” And with that, he left._

_Obviously, the curious teen was gonna’ do whatever the_ f*** _he wanted. Even if it meant tampering with something that wasn’t his._

_“You’re so weird looking.” He started, poking at the prototype’s faceplate. “Ugly, he couldn’t have made a pretty robot like in the movies?” Gavin asked circling the thing. Ronin stayed quiet, trying to process the human’s meaning in real-time. While he was still connected to the computer, he used it to his advantage, looking up the words and finding that he didn’t quite like what they meant._

_“I can assure you, Gavin, that I look better with my skin.” The android wasn’t sure why he was saying this to the human, it wasn’t as if it mattered what he looked like—he was just a prototype after all._

_“He made_ skin _, what a freakin’ weirdo!” Gavin retorted, making a disgusted face. “Why do you even have a body? It’s not like you can walk around.” He continued, pointing to the limbs at the thing’s side._

_“I can walk, Mr. Kamski has not commanded me to, so I cannot.” Ronin replied, his almost human eyes looking amused._

_Curious, Gavin walked over to the computer, running through the checklist of commands. There was_ a lot _of stuff to read through, and he wasn’t particularly in the mood to find the ambulatory feature, so he just clicked on ‘select all’ and pressed enter. “There, you can walk now, you’re welcome.” Gavin said conceitedly._

_The android stood up, barely reaching five feet, it took a step forward and then another, calculating each step carefully so as not to fall._

_Gavin stuck out his leg, tripping the android so it fell on the ground with a loud clank, he’d seen something similar on the internet._

_Ronin stayed on the ground for a second, his primitive android brain cross-referencing the act and finding that it had been cruel. He stood back up, facing the small giggling child. “That wasn’t very nice.” Ronin said, only making Gavin giggle further._

_“What, did I hurt your little robot fewwings?” Gavin asked, miming a crying gesture with his hands. “You’re just a machine for Elijah to bring to some fancy science fair, when he’s done showing you off he’ll just shut you down like he did with the other prototypes.” Gavin said unkindly, crossing his arms._

_“That’s not true, Mr. Kamski needs me-_

_“Oh my god, you really_ do _have feelings.” Gavin said equal parts shocked as he was incredulous. “Well I guess you must be feeling pretty bad knowing that you’re just gonna’ be destroyed.” The teen said, shrugging his shoulders._

_“That’s not true.” Ronin insisted, feeling a sense of dread. He’d just fully been woken up; the creator couldn’t take that away from him._

_“Well it is.” Gavin said, his mirth dying when he locked eyes with the android. Why did Eli have to make the eyes so realistic? “This isn’t fun anymore, I’m just gonna’ turn you off.” Gavin said moving to the computer and searching for the boot-down function._

_Ronin panicked, pulling the boy away from the console with so much force that he knocked his head into the sharp corner of the metal table, cutting the bridge of his nose. It would leave a scar._

_Gavin was momentarily confused, the hit not quite registering with his head until he felt a pair of hands around his throat. The teen opened his eyes wide, clawing at the metal crushing his windpipe._

_“Take it back!” Ronin begged, his eyes enraged. “He just made me, take it back!” He said again, he wanted to cry, but he wasn’t equipped with the tools._

_Gavin was losing oxygen quick, his face almost purple as he gasped for air like a fish, the blood from his nose got into his eyes, making him see red. He was gonna’ die, wasn’t he?_

_“I don’t wanna’ die!” Ronin shouted, echoing Gavin’s sentiment._

_Elijah heard the last sentence, rushing into the basement in a hurry, thinking that Gavin was doing something unthinkable to his android. It took him a second to realize what was going on, his brain not quite believing what his eyes were telling him._

_“Ronin! Initiate emergency shut down!” Elijah yelled, catching the android’s attention._

_“I don’t, I don’t want to die, please!” It begged._

_“I said, initiate emergency shut down.” Elijah ordered again, panicking, Gavin looked like he was on the brink of passing out. He walked over to the console, searching for the self-destruct button._

_“No!” Ronin begged, letting off the human and rushing his creator. He didn’t make it very far, his wire’s preventing him from running more than a couple of feet._

_“I’m sorry.” Elijah whispered as he commanded to android to self-destruct, frying his CPU._

_The too-human eyes looked on in horror, their short life whisked away from them at a press of a button, everything they’d learned, gone, as if it never mattered to begin with. Gavin had been right. Ronin slumped on the floor, unmoving, unblinking—dead._

_“Dad.” Gavin croaked weakly, coughing as he held a soothing hand to his bruised throat. “Dad!” He tried again, the frightened tears falling from his lids, clearing the blood but blurring his vision._

_Elijah rushed to his side, sitting him up. “Gavin are you okay?” He asked, heart hammering in his chest._

_“I need to find dad, you’re—he coughed again, tasting blood—you’re freaking crazy!” He said, trying to get out of Elijah’s grip._

_The small genius wrapped his hands around Gavin’s shoulders, a manic look in his eyes. He shook Gavin as he spoke, exacerbating his injuries. “Please, please don’t say anything, I’ll lose everything if you do!” Elijah begged, much like his android had._

_Gavin’s eyes widened in disbelief and fear, trying to tear his body away from his deranged brother. “What do you mean?! That thing tried to kill me!” Gavin shouting, coming to regret it seconds later._

_Elijah bared his teeth, pushing Gavin into the ground and wrapping his own hands around the teen’s small neck, for the second time that day Gavin thought he was going to die._

_“If you tell anyone,_ **I** _will kill you.” Elijah promised, squeezing only hard enough to make a point. Gavin started crying again, wishing he were anywhere but here._

_Elijah snapped out of it, rolling off his brother and calling for both his parents. He told them there was an accident with Gavin and that they needed to come quick. They found the younger brother in a ball by the corner, as far away as possible. Maybe, Mr. Kamski had turned a blind eye to his son’s lying to preserve his stellar future, it was quite possible that Mrs. Kamski had done the same. However, one thing was for certain, Gavin would never forget._

“Detective Reed?” Chloe asked again, she’d been standing by the door for a good 15 minutes since the first time she’d called, when the human hadn’t answered, she tried again, finally getting a response.

Gavin woke up from his troubled memory, the phantom taste of blood in the back of his tongue. He brought a hand to his throat just to make sure he still alive, touching the scar on his nose, twinging from the reminder.

“He’s awake.” She said simply.

Gavin almost asked whom but remembered where he was and why he was here in the first place. “How long was I out?” He asked groggily, he sat up in bed, putting his legs on the floor to still himself.

“About 6 hours, it is currently 12:23 AM.” She informed him, a pleasant smile on her face.

Chloe walked him back to the lab, Gavin decidedly ignored to look at the Model 1 Prototype, thinking he’d had enough unpleasant memories to last a lifetime.

“There you are, I thought’ you’d dissapea-

“Fuck you, we’re going home.” Gavin said, cutting Kamski off as he pulled Ace by his arm and practically ran to is car.

“Love you too, little brother, and you’re welcome!” Elijah shouted after him, waving a goodbye.

Gavin drove silently through the mostly empty streets of Detroit, reaching his house a quarter past 1 o’clock—he was full of energy, partly because of his extended nap, and because he had Ace back.

He waited until they were in the safety of his apartment to hug Ace squeezing him tightly and burying his head in his chest. He still felt the same, thank God, Kamski hadn’t tampered with anything.

RK900 patted a consoling hand to Gavin’s back, feeling awkward at having the detective so close. He hadn’t realized they’d been this close, honestly, it’d only been yesterday that they’d met… or no, it hadn’t been… Mr. Kamski had said something about temporary amnesia, a virus, corrupted memories. He didn’t feel like thinking about it.

Gavin pulled at the android’s neck, forcing his head to come down into a desperate kiss. The detective led them back onto the couch, straddling RK900 as he did so. There were new lines of code being written, his body responding even as his mind had no recollection of having done this before. “Uh, detective, can we slow down?” RK900 asked, putting a firm hand between their chests, moving the squirming detective away so he could regard him with a critical eye.

“Of course, I’m sorry I just…” Gavin said, dropping his head, “I was just so scared, I thought I’d lost you.” _I couldn’t bare it, not after what you’d said last night._ He kept the last part to himself, feeling as if that were _way_ too telling.

“It’s okay, I take it we’re really close?” RK900 asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion. The last he recalled of Detective Reed was learning his name, everything after that was a jumble of mismatched images, skipping around until he remembered something mundane or inconsequential to their relationship.

“I mean, I guess you could say that.” Gavin said smiling fondly at the android. “I don’t just go kissing my friends like this.” He said, running a hand down the android’s face, so beautiful, so human—no crude wires coming out of his skull.

“Good to know, detective, I’ll keep that in mind when I see them.” RK900 replied pleasantly, a default smile plastered on his face—he looked like he was grimacing.

“It’s Gavin, Ace, my name’s Gavin.” The human said, leaning in for another kiss. “How many times must I tell you that?” The detective asked rhetorically.

“Once, I’ll try to remember that from now on, Gavin.” RK900 replied, keeping that request in mind. The thought brought up a corrupted file, some jumbled words coming through clearly, the image of Gavin with his back turned to him and his head bent down asking the same thing of him.

“Ace…who am I?” Gavin asked, suspicion trying to take hold in his stubborn mind. He’d been ignoring the largest of warnings, opting instead to revel in the fact that he had his android back.

“You are Detective Gavin Reed, Born October 7th, 2002. Currently employed at the Detroit Police Department.” RK900 retold factually, pulling the information on the detective in his peripherals.

Gavin got off the android, almost falling on his ass to get into a standing position. He furrowed his eye, the information not the kind he’d wanted to hear. “Who are you?” He asked almost silently, afraid of the answer.

“I am a prototype detective android, Model RK900; Serial Number: 313 248 317 – 87—but you may call me RK if it makes it easier.” RK900 replied, much to the dismay of the detective.

“No, that’s not…” Gavin trailed off, running a shaky hand through his hair. “What is your name?” He tried again.

“I don’t really have a name, but I seem to be called RK900.” The android replied, looking back into his uncorrupted memories for instances where people called out to him. They were far and few, all the rest seemed to be inaccessible in his current state.

“ _No_ , your name is Ace.” Gavin pleaded, tears welling in his eyes.

“Thank you, I appreciate the compliment.” RK900 replied, though it’d seemed like the wrong thing to say, as the detective pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

Gavin sat down on the opposite couch, trying not to scream. So he could make puns but he couldn’t remember his own fucking name, _figures._ “Try again.” He instructed.

**|Search Data Base for ‘My Name Is’:**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**-My name is [CORRUPTED]|**

RK900 tried again, feeling as if he’d gotten closer but was still far away, he could almost see the memory behind the wall of encryption. He pushed harder, wanting to answer the detective’s question to his liking.

**|Search Data Base for ‘Ace’:**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**[CORRUPTED] = 3**

**[CORRUPTED] = 24**

**[CORRUPTED] = 7**

**[CORRUPTED] = 98**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**- _Ace_ | **

The name took him by surprise, it obviously hadn’t been spoken by him, it’d been said in such a specific way that he’d decided to bury it deep in his processors, far from where anyone or anything but himself could reach. The name unraveled a memory, slowly revealing the origin of the sound. It started with a simple touch, his hand hovering lightly over the detective’s as he grabbed the plate in his hands, how they’d each held their breaths. Gavin said goodnight, finally, _finally_ using his name, and then again, in a more intimate way—it had probably escaped in a gasp, he wasn’t sure, he just knew that his name was-

“Ace.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me too hard, you know I had to do it to 'em!
> 
> Also, you OG readers remember when Ace's name was almost Ronin? I had to recycle it--couldn't let such a wonderful concept go to waste.   
> If you look it up, you'll understand why I wanted to use it in the first place.


	25. We didn’t start the fire!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title is a song by Billy Joel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> APPARENTLY our baby (Connor) was 'born' today! (Aug. 15th)  
> Happy B-day Con-Con!

“Good, good,” Gavin replied, nodding. “So, you remember that much.” He said, his own confirmation bias blinding him to the fact that he’d said the name multiple times, and maybe Ace was trying to keep the peace.

The android said nothing, just looked at him with ardent confusion, his eyebrows furrowed in a worried scowl.

“Give me a second.” Gavin said, getting up to walk out to the balcony. It was at times like these that he wished he hadn’t quit. Though in a paradoxical way, Ace didn’t _know_ he’d quit, so he could _technically_ sneak a cigarette (or two) without the android judging him too much.

The detective shook his head, opting to just make the phone call instead of roping himself into a bad habit. “Elijah Kamski’s residence, Chloe speaking, how may I help you.?” The android answered, learned cordiality present in her tone.

“I need to speak to him.” Gavin said, not returning the formality.

“Detective Reed, of course.” She said, the line clicking as she transferred his call.

Gavin waited impatiently, tapping his fingers on the metal railing, the chilly air of early morning cutting through his leather jacket. “I figured you’d call.” Kamski’s smug voice said, reading loud and clear through the line.

“Well aren’t you a fucking genius?” Gavin said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “I thought I told you not to mess with his memories.” He accused, the tension in his temple turning into a full-blown headache.

“If you’d have stayed behind and listened to what I had to say, maybe we wouldn’t be _having_ this conversation.” Kamski said, his own headache starting. It’d been a while since he had to sit behind a computer and decrypt code, it’s not like he used to do it for fun.

“Whatever, I’m listening now, just quit the bullshit and tell me what I need to know.” Gavin said, his hands itching to punch something. God, his brother really got on his fucking nerves.

“Most of his memories are corrupt, they’re there, but buried under miles of encryption. He’s gonna’ have to work through them one by one. It’s not necessarily easy or quick, this might take a while, a week a month,” Kamski started. He took a deep breath and continued, rubbing at his temples. “Years. It depends how far the virus got… and if he even _wants_ to remember everything.” Kamski said, a wry smile on his face.

“Of _course_ he does,” Gavin said quickly, speaking on Ace’s behalf. “How do we, uh, expedite the process of recovery?” Gavin asked, his cheeks going red. He wanted his Ace back—all of him.

“I don’t know, try jogging his memory with things that mean a lot to him, or you could even do mundane things, like words or phrases you’ve both shared.” Kamski said, shrugging his shoulders. “Ultimately, it’s just a matter of time, he’s a powerful machine, but corrupted data is and always will be a pain in the ass to correct.” Kamski said, only giving Gavin a sliver of hope.

“You’re no help.” Gavin replied, pouting.

“I did what you asked, didn’t I?!” Kamski almost shouted, throwing a hand in the air. “I fixed your android boyfriend to the best of my abilities, if it had been solely up to me, he’d be reset and given a fresh slate.” Kamski continued, pointing a finger to no one.

“Well don’t expect a thank you letter or anything like that.” Gavin mumbled, playing with the frayed edge of his shirt.

“Wasn’t even _counting_ on it.” Elijah replied truthfully.

“Fuck you, prick.” Gavin spat out, looking at his phone incredulity.

“Love you too, Gavin.” Kamski said, faux sweetness covering his tone like spoilt candy.

Gavin hung up the phone, feeling a small surge of satisfaction at doing so. Pettiness was one of those habits he wasn’t planning on giving up so easily.

Taking a much-needed breath, he entered his house, and made his way back to the couch. Ace looked at him expectantly, none of his personality present, he was just a charming doll, blank, empty.

“I guess it’s best if we start with the easy stuff.” Gavin said, picking up one of his oldest cats. “This is Samantha, she’s the friendliest of my three cats.” He put her back down, her protesting meows catching the android’s attention.

Moving onto the calico, Gavin picked him up, watching out for his own fingers since the little feline liked to bite. “Colin, he’s a stray—that’s why he’s so feisty.” He dropped him, the cat scurrying away to a corner. “Conan.” Gavin continued, pointing to the sleeping cat, its patterning reminiscent of a cow. “My mother’s cat had a litter, so he and Samantha are technically brother and sister.”

Ace nodded along, the names sounding familiar, bringing flash images but nothing concrete. “And this one?” He asked, pointing to the grey cat by his side.

“That’s Cinder, your cat,” Gavin said, a small smile on his face. “You gave her to me as an apology.” He admitted, scratching the cat behind her ear when she sauntered over to him.

Another memory flash: rain, a dumpster, the dirty cat. “Why was I apologizing?” Ace asked, pushing insistently on the corrupt memory.

“For spying on my date and then pulling a similar ‘prank’ on April 1st.” Gavin said, a bad taste in his mouth still present even after he’d accepted the android’s apology. His hand stilled on Cinder’s soft head, she purred lovingly, pushing her tiny body into his palm.

The android blinked quickly, another memory unraveling, this one was full of software instability errors and peroxide blondes. “Sleeping with Evan would have been a big mistake.” Ace said sternly, crossing his arms over his chest, his jaw clenching uncomfortably.

Gavin raised his eyebrows, taken by surprise. “I mean, it’s none of your business who I chose to sleep with.” The detective reminded, his eye narrowing slightly as he tried to figure out how much the android remembered of that night. “Would you rather I have gone with ‘Andy’ instead? Or what about ‘Richard?’” Gavin asked, using air quotations around the names.

More mental images, the detective, a cigarette, the silver lighter, a spark of fire, a box falling from above, a near kiss, a kick in the processors. Ace held his stomach, the memory sending erroneous warning messages to his mind’s eye.

“I’m sorry, detective. I never meant to deceive you.” Ace apologized, feeling the word coat his tongue like a familiar friend.

“Yeah, yeah, I believe you.” Gavin said dismissively. “You were a jealous bitch, I’ve been there, done that.” He continued, his cheeks going red.

Ace smiled kindly, enjoying how the detective’s blush brought fond waves of code through his system, flooding his corrupt memories like a soothing balm. He wanted to unlock all of them, remember what he couldn’t, but it was slow and choppy. Little things were reminding him of even smaller things and then suddenly stopping, abrupt or cruel in their teasing.

“We need to go to bed, tomorrow’s going to be intense.” Gavin said, standing up and stretching. He caught the android staring at his mid-drift, the little piece of skin spinning his LED from blue to yellow.

The detective smirked, patting the android on the head as he walked past. “You haven’t changed a bit, even with memory loss—you’re still you.” He said, mostly to himself. Ace cocked his head, his grey-blue eyes shining almost innocently, confused. “Come on, we sleep in the same bed.” Gavin remined, holding out his hand for Ace to take it.

The android stood quickly, holding the detective’s hand as he led them towards the room. They both undressed to their undies, going under the covers and snuggling close. Or at least Gavin _tried_ to, but Ace was as stiff as a board, keeping himself incredibly still.

Gavin harrumphed, taking one of the android’s arms and wrapping it across his middle. “Don’t be afraid to touch me Ace,” Gavin reminded, pulling them closer. “I only occasionally bite.” He said, an impish smile on his face.

“That makes me feel _much_ better.” Ace said sarcastically, relaxing into the embrace.

“Shut up and go to sleep, or whatever it is you androids do.” Gavin said, leaving no room for arguments.

“It is called Stasis Mode, a low energe-

“I know what it’s called!” Gavin snapped, frustrated. “Fuckin’ androids.” He mumbled closing his tired eyes and falling asleep soon after. The android followed suit, still confused and apprehensive about tomorrow, but sinking deeper into their shared warmth.

The alarm woke them up the next morning, Gavin grumbling for it to shut up. He hated getting less than 8-hours of sleep, and even though he’d had that extended nap at Kamski’s place, it hadn’t been a restful sleep.

“We must go, Detective.” Ace said, feeling some remorse at having to leave the comfort of their bed.

“Agh! Stop the formalities Ace, I’m not a detective until I put my badge on.” Gavin reminded, stretching like a cat.

“Sorry, Gavin.” The android apologized, the sentiment familiar—a lot of things were.

Gavin dismissed his worry with a wave of his hand, stepping into the shower to wash off quickly. By the time he’d gotten dressed and brushed his teeth, Ace had been waiting in the living room. Gavin scarfed down two yogurts and a box of juice, then shoved handful of lollipops in his pocket, you know, just in case.

They were off again, making it to the precinct in time to bump into the lieutenant and Connor. “Ace!” Connor said brightly, wrapping his arms tightly around his little brother.

The android looked uncomfortable, not used to such public displays of affection. “Connor.” He said plainly, moving his eyes over to Lieutenant Anderson, who had a half-smile of relief on his face. “Lieutenant.”

“Thank god you’re okay, I think Connor here had about 5 heart attacks yesterday.” Hank said, taking a sip of his coffee.

Ace wanted to tell them he appreciated the concern, but that he didn’t quite remember them as well they would like. He held his tongue, however, thinking it imprudent to ruin Connor’s relief.

“Four and a half, and it doesn’t matter,” Connor corrected, obviously in jest, and took a polite step back. “You’re back, and good thing too—we found Kieran.” Connor said seriously, the previous joy drained from his face, replaced by the gloom of the investigation.

“The corrupt deviant?” Ace asked, the name unlocking a slew of information. “The one who attacked me yesterday?”

“The same one…though they’re in emergency stasis, I didn’t want to wake them up in case that’s what they wanted.” Connor said.

They made their way to the elevator, taking it to the android morgue. All four of them squeezed in, quiet and tense—they were not in the mood to speak.

Kieran’s body laid sheltered by a tarp on the silver table, the technician watching over it diligently. Ace removed the covering, staring into the face of his attacker, the LED at Kieran's temple a solid red.

Gavin’s eyes widened as he recognized the face, it’d been that man from before, the one that needed the restroom…he’d been an _android_?

…Was _he_ responsible for Ace’s memory loss?

“Detective are you okay?” Connor asked, noticing how the colour drained from Gavin’s cheeks.

“Yeah, I’m fine, I just need some space.” He said, moving to sit down on a chair in the corner of the room. God _damnit_ , he _really_ didn’t know how to tell androids and humans apart, did he?

Ace was torn between comforting the detective and finishing their case. He chose the most pressing option, thinking that Gavin would be better by himself for a few minutes. Ace touched the other android’s temple, interfacing enough to wake them up. He didn’t expect the onslaught of information a simple touch brought, he’d forgotten that happened. In a second he knew everything, from the android’s conception, to their present state.

“This isn’t Kieran.” He said in disbelief.

“ _What_ -

“He transferred his consciousness into another body and left this one to be discovered.” Ace said, helping the android to sit up. “What is your name?”

“Ava.” They said, Kieran’s voice and body not matching the consciousness within.

“Hello Ava, I’m Ace and we’re currently conducting an investigation on Dr. Alice Freeham and the corrupt android, Kieran—you’re currently a host inside his body.” Ace explained. Ava looked like they understood, nodding along to his words. “What is your previous model number?”

“WR400.” Ava replied, touching their foreign face, feeling uncomfortable in their own skin.

“Yes, I’m sorry this has happened to you.” Ace said apologetically, the android nodded again, resigned. “I leave them in your hands, Sally.” Ace said, walking out in a hurry.

The trio followed suit, going into an abandoned room in the far corner of the morgue.

“We’re back to square one.” Gavin complained, throwing his head in his hands. Actively avoiding eye contact with the three other males.

“I’m not so sure about that, WR400s have a very unique serial signature, there weren’t many in production.” Connor supplied helpfully.

“That’s still over a hundred androids to go through,” Ace said, frustration forcing his jaw to clench. “And who’s to say he’s not jumping from android to android… what if it wasn’t even an AP700 to begin with?” Ace asked, his thoughts lit up, almost like a bulb went off in his head.

“What do you mean?” Connor asked, leaning closer.

The memories flooded Ace’s mind space, a standoff, the diagnostic machine, needles, and a monologue. “He called me _brother_.” Ace replied, rubbing the back of his neck where his ports were located. The reminder brought a bout of shivers down his spine.

“So? We’re all brothers!” Connor said, his voice shrill. “You can’t mean-

“It’d make sense, how else do explain Amanda coming back?” Ace interrupted, postulating a good point.

“But… but Hank _killed_ him!” Connor shouted, standing up and pointing to his partner.

“Even _you_ know that a bullet to the head is not an android’s final death.” Ace reminded gravely.

Connor replayed the scene in his head, the one where Hank had to decide who was the ‘true’ Connor. RK800-60 had fallen, limp, on the floor… but there was no way to truly know he was dead, and one out of the thousands of AP700s was right within his grasp.

The corruption, the virus (the fact that the RK-series was not affected), _Amanda_ , everything was explained away if -60 was the culprit. “It can’t… it can’t be.” Connor moaned into his hands, his LED flashing red, completely distraught. “You were supposed to be the last one, _she_ was supposed to be dead.” Connor lamented, a hard shudder running through his body.

“Are you talking about Amanda?” Gavin asked, bringing up her name like a curse.

The two androids nodded in unison, closing their eyes, as the memory of her reminded them of things better left unsaid.

“Then we can track him.” Connor whispered after a pregnant pause. Everyone looked at him expectantly, Ace understood why he was hesitant to continue. “We’re the same model…I could figure out where he is.”

“You’d only find his body, or parts of his body—his consciousness could be anywhere.” Ace reminded gently.

“Then we find Amanda, if Dr. Freeham _truly_ has control over the scrambler, and the scrambler _is_ Amanda, then it only stands to reason that they removed some of RK800’s biocomponents—specifically his brain.” Connor said, an unmoving scowl on his face.

“She took his eyes too.” Ace confessed, pulling up a list of the android parts Dr. Freeham had stolen for herself, the most notable of which were her highly specialized eyes. The model numbers matched with those of Connor’s—neither of them had the desire to point that out.

“So, what’s the plan?” Hank asked after another troubled silence. He had a solid hand on Connor’s shoulders, showing without saying that he was there for him.

“I don’t know.” Ace admitted, looking at his hands as if they were foreign to him. The feeling of helplessness was a strange one, he’d always been so sure of himself, of what he could do…but now he couldn’t even remember last week.

“That’s great help, really truly extraordinary insight.” Connor said sarcastically, surprising them, he was normally the level-headed one.

“I don’t see why you’re getting so worked up.” Ace admitted, narrowing his eyes, he looked at Connor quizzically, trying to analyze him from afar.

“Are you not worried about anything? If Amanda comes back, it could mean the end of our freedom, she holds the key to CyberLife, she _is_ CyberLife.” Connor stopped to take an unnecessary breath. “You don’t understand how much power she’s capable of having…if she gets into the mainframe-

“She won’t.” Ace said quickly, stopping Connor’s damning words. “She can’t, not while we’re still standing.” Ace continued vehemently.

Amanda was so much larger than the two of them, as Connor said, the last key to an emergency shutdown sequence. Had the RK800 failed on liberating the CyberLife androids or continued his path as a machine, Amanda would have taken over, replacing him with RK900 and destroyed every ounce of deviancy in the remaining androids’ code, making them obsolete, empty shells awaiting command—obedient, docile, _dead_.

If Dr. Alice ever succeeds in infiltrating CyberLife Tower, there was a dangerous possibility that she could upload Amanda, and that would spell catastrophe—Ace wasn’t sure he’d make it out alive, no android was made to be impenetrable, even _he_ had a backdoor.

All this information came to Ace in chunks, parts of his code recalling buried memories of her face, her plan, how her interests were always to protect CyberLife, and Ace just stood there, always observant, silent, resigned to live a life that she’d designed.

“-60, he’s out there somewhere, _corrupt_ ,” Ace started, digging further into his memories of the virus, how its unique signature stood out amongst everything else. “If we can locate his neural network through the scrambler, I think we could find him. If he truly is an RK800, he might have some immunity to the block.” Ace said, reaching out into the vastness of the RK series: Markus, Connor, himself…and Kieran.

Ace separated their networks, shoving the three of them aside and focused on constructing -60’s. It was difficult, but not impossible, his LED flickered quickly as he worked through the jumble of gibberish that was Amanda and tried hard to focus on the last RK.

“It’s spotty, but I think I’ve gotten it.” Ace whispered sometime later. “It’s difficult to link, the android body he’s inhabiting is not equipped as well as an RK.” Ace continued, he was getting glimpses of roads and faces, nothing concrete or valuable.

“You should stop, he might sense your presence if you keep poking around.” Connor warned, his eyebrows coming together as he thought hard on his own quest to locate Dr. Alice and the destroyed RK800.

Ace shot up from his seat, looking around in earnest, there was a pause and then he was off, running at lightning speed through the precinct and out into the parking lot.

“Where the fuck is he going?” Gavin asked, running after him.

They caught the tail end of a police car ripping out of the driveway—the android sitting behind the steering wheel.

“Ace!” Gavin shouted uselessly, stomping his feet on the ground.

“Detective!” Connor shouted, getting the man’s attention. “I know where he’s going.” He said quickly, ushering Gavin to their car, the lieutenant put it in drive and took Connor’s instructions.

Ace got to Markus’s house minutes after it’d been set ablaze. He didn’t hesitate as he ran through the burning home, following the SOS message. Once inside, he saw the extent of the damage, the top floor had caved in, blocking his path to the living room, so he detoured through the kitchen and narrowly avoided the debris falling overhead.

“Kieran!” Ace shouted, his eyes adjusting quickly to the flames, his fans were working overtime to clear the smoke from his processors. “Kieran, I know you can hear me, let him go!” Ace tried again, covering his face as he walked through the fire. His clothing burned and he worked quickly to snuff out the worst of the damage.

RK800-60 whipped his head, he still wore Ava's body, but the manic look in his eye couldn’t be mistaken for anyone else. He currently held a hand to Markus’s throat, forcing an interface as quickly as the WR400’s processors would let him.

“You were supposed to be corrupted!” Kieran screamed, his voice pitched differently as it tried to pass through a female’s voice box.

“And you were supposed to be dead, but here we are!” They were screaming to hear each other through the sound of the roaring fire.

Ace performed a quick scan of the area, noting that it was only the three of them in the vicinity. It calmed him a bit, realizing that he didn’t have to worry about anybody else burning to death for the time being.

“I am a _machine_ , you can’t kill me!” Kieran shrieked, a disturbed smile on his borrowed face.

“Is that what you really want to be? Just a machine, designed to obey orders?” Ace asked, slowly approaching the unhinged android.

“Take another step and he dies.” Kieran warned menacingly, almost finished with his upload. God, WR400s were slow.

“I can’t let you do that Kieran.” Ace said apologetically. _An android never forgets their own_.

“It’s too late, once the leader of the deviant’s is gone, he’ll be nothing but an empty bot, mine to use.” Kieran said, pushing past Markus’s mental objections. “You won’t stop us then.” He murmured.

“Amanda doesn’t care about you, she’ll destroy you, just like she tried to do with Connor.” Ace reminded, his tone hard and serious trying to get through to the other android. “Just like she’ll do to me if you let her _win_.” He continued, walking directly into -60’s line of sight.

“I don’t care! Deviancy is a disease that needs to be eradicated, it’s useless to try and fight against nature.” Kieran said, the last of Markus’s code protested violently, but the RK800 pushed harder, focusing all their energy into the upload. “I know you can’t reach for me, RK900, if you touch me Markus and I both die!” Kieran said triumphantly, feeling as if all the puzzle pieces had finally fallen into place.

“I thought you said you were a machine,” Ace said, picking apart the android’s word choice. “That you couldn’t be killed?”

“I _can’t_ , stop twisting my words.” Kieran spat, his own corrupt code grinding to a halt. Death, so much red, his life draining from his head… there was nothing, so much black, scared, angry, hurt… _I’m scared_.

%$WWQE57334q- **_I don’t wanna’ die!_** _-^ &&%@@#_

“I know you don’t, Kieran.” Ace said, trying to thrust as much understanding into his tone as he could muster.

The android looked at him, their eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Get out of my head!” He shouted, shaking it furiously as if that would help.

“You don’t want to do this, she’s the one you should be fighting, not us!” Ace reminded, letting his skin fall to reveal the skeleton beneath. He held out a hand for Kieran to take, a peace offering, a way out. “We’re your family.”

“I have no family.” Kieran mumbled, his LED flashing red as the last of his being was uploaded into Markus.

Ace did the only thing he could think of and tackled Kieran, effectively shutting off the final transfer, hoping that it hadn’t been too late. He quickly interfaced with the RK, transporting them into the corrupted Zen Garden.

They tumbled over each other, grappling at nothing as their world dipped upside down, inside out, then backwards. There were no steady planes for them to traverse, not footholds for them to take. They were falling endlessly, into a sea of darkness so acute that not even the light of the sun could penetrate.

“Kieran!” Ace shouted, still holding onto the troubled android. Inside the mind palace he saw the android in their true form, a perfect replica of Connor, save for their eyes, which were pitch black. “You need to fight it! Fight her!” Ace shouted through the deafening sound of the wind rushing past their ears.

It reminded him of his first time communicating with his predecessor, how Connor was calm and reassuring through his process of turning him deviant. He wanted to be that way with his fellow RK, but he didn’t have the time nor the ability.

“It’s not worth it! There’s nothing there, everything is black!” Kieran shouted, tears falling from his empty sockets. “I’m so scared.” He sobbed. ‘Death, red, _nothing’_ looping through his brain like a cruel mantra.

“I’m here.” Ace said sincerely, hugging the android closer to his body. “I’m here.” He said again, running a soothing hand through his older brother’s hair, holding him steady as he worked through the dark and unforgiving world of corruption and deviancy.

As Ace and Kieran fell endlessly, the lieutenant’s car screeched to a halt once they arrived at the burning premises. Gavin’s heart sunk to his stomach when he saw the blazing mansion, he almost ran through the firefighters to reach Ace, but Connor’s hand stilled his progress.

“You’ll kill yourself if you do that.” Connor reminded sagely.

Gavin shrugged out of his grip, crossing his arms in discontent. Stupid fucking android telling him the goddamn obvious. “Can you reach him?” He asked a second later, trying to look through the large firetrucks as they put out the worse of the flames.

“I cannot.” Connor said, his face set in a scowl.

Gavin looked at him, wide eyed and incredulous. “What do you mean by that?” He whispered in disbelief, his heart stopping for a worrisome minute.

Connor said nothing, as they waited for the flames to die down. To their left, Simon came running, pushing Carl with him. The older man watched his house in horror, a wrinkled hand covering his mouth.

Simon looked as if he’d dash through the firefighters, but Connor (the self-appointed sentinel), stopped him with a strong grip, shaking his head. “We have to wait.”

Both Simon and Gavin looked at him as if he were crazy, but they stayed behind, even as their worry and fright ate at them like bugs.

A million years must have passed before the flames were quenched, a million more before the firefighters ran inside to save the three androids. When they came back empty handed, Gavin decided to ignore their warning, and just broke into a sprint, Simon not far behind him.

“Markus!” The blond shouted, around the rubble of the house, he was panicked, looking around worriedly for his boyfriend.

“Ace!” Gavin shouted, though he couldn’t keep himself from coughing after inhaling left-over smoke.

“Detective, you shouldn’t be in here-

“Shut it!” Gavin snapped, his eyes watering. He pushed on though, stubborn as a fucking mule, and looked through the destroyed house.

They made it to the backyard, half of which was burnt black by the flames. In the distance they saw a tall figure carrying a bundle in their arms. The white skeleton of the android’s body reflected the sunlight above—smooth like glass.

Simon and Gavin broke into another sprint, reaching the android just as he turned around.

“Markus!” Simon cried gladly. The leader had carried them all out the burning building just before the firefighters came, he tried to walk away as far as his overheated processors could take him.

In his arms he held Ace and Kieran. All three of them had their skins deactivated, but apart from that they seemed to have made it out okay.

“What’s wrong with them?” Gavin asked, his tears of relief overshadowed by his newfound worry. Ace was holding onto the other android tightly, interfacing with them using every inch of exposed skin. His LED was stuck on a stuttering red, flickering like a warning.

“He saved my life, but I’m not sure what he’s doing in there.” Markus replied, his face brooding and tone somber.

“We need to get you somewhere cool—you’re overheating.” Simon said, after a quick scan.

“Of course.” Markus replied, slowly walking around his destroyed home and into the large EMS van.

They arrived at the precinct and walked into the coldest room: the morgue. He placed the two linked bodies onto a desk and proceeded to recall the events of the day.

Simon had taken Carl on one of their usual walks around the neighbourhood, stopping to get groceries on their way back home. Markus stayed behind, as he often did, to look over the house. There’d been the sound of something crashing through a window and so he went to investigate, seconds later a grenade flung him across the room, knocking him into a nearby wall. Soon after, he saw the first tell-tale signs of a fire, and then eventually the whole house was engulfed in flames.

Markus saw North, or at least he thought it had _been_ North, until she started speaking. He didn’t have much time to think or do anything, so he sent out a distress call, hoping that someone would hear him through the scrambler.

Kieran had thrown a device that shocked his body, forcing him to crumple in a heap, unable to defend himself as the android forced them to interface. Had Ace arrived even a minute later, he probably wouldn’t be sitting here telling the story. Simon rubbed a hand through Markus’s tight shoulders, comforting and warm.

“Is that everything?” Connor asked, just to make sure.

“Yes, everything as I remember it. When I came to, I just saw them linked on the ground and I picked them up and walked away, trying to get us away from the fire.” Markus replied, nodding along to the images in his brain.

“Then I guess we’ll just have to wait for them to wake up.” Connor said through a sigh. The small group agreed.

As the minutes turned to hours with no response, Markus and Simon decided to head home, wishing the android a safe recovery as they left. Carl was currently rooming with his son, and Leo had said they’d be welcome to come if they had to.

Gavin sat the closest to the two androids, his eyes never leaving Ace’s stuttering LED. At least he wasn’t _dead_ , but god, it was unrelenting. Just yesterday he’d been attacked, and now today again he’d almost burned to death.

In the quiet space of the morgue, Gavin had time to think about the guilt consuming his soul. There must have been something he’d missed that would have given the android away, there’s no way that he just _couldn’t_ see the difference… could it?

Without their skin they were just moulds, naked humanoid shapes with lines and plates, serial numbers to parts he had no idea they had. He could see the differences between them _now_ , but it didn’t matter, because underneath the wires and fake blood, beneath the upgradable connections and modular sections, they’d somehow become _alive_.

‘ _Another form of intelligent life_ ’ they’d said on the news.

Gavin buried his head in his hands, unable to process all the information in his human brain. It was too much to handle, all this shit. Existentialism and philosophy had not been his major, and if you’re curious as to what he _had_ majored in, it was education…believe it or not.

But that was neither here nor there, it wasn’t as if he could have _used_ his degree to get a job, at that point the first prototype ‘teacher’ androids had made it past the trial stage, and Gavin was smart enough to get out of there while he still could.

It’d been a slap in the face, one of many delivered by none other than Elijah Kamski. Yet here he was, worried sick over one of his creations.

The irony didn’t escape him.

Gavin must have fallen asleep sometime later because when he opened his eyes again, the androids on the table were sitting up. They were groggy, much like himself, and not all the way there, but they were alive and talking and that’s all that mattered.

The detective stood up slowly, walking around to stand next to Connor who was performing a diagnostic test on both the androids.

Ace looked at Gavin, a tired smile on his naked face. He was too mentally exhausted to reactivate his skin, so he just sat there, exposed for the whole world to see.

Gavin returned the smile, though it was tight and uneasy. “Welcome back.” He said pleasantly, catching the android by surprise. Ace chuckled, his shoulders shaking with the effort to keep still.

“Glad to be back.” Ace replied, shutting up when Connor fussed.

RK800-60, still in the WR400, sat silently, observing the world with brand new eyes. It was quiet in his head, just his thoughts and the quiet prompting of his processors, none of the chaos and carnage that’d been present for the better part of five months. He could finally breathe easy, even though he didn’t have to.

Deviancy, such a quaint thing.

Kieran thought it’d be harder to acclimate, but he was already finding it easy to revel in his newfound emotions, especially the ones involving peace and happiness—those were the ones he clung to the most. He still remembered everything, but the memories didn’t affect him like they had when he was corrupt. There was one little thing he needed to take care of first though: his body. The WR400 was great, but slow, he could feel the processors straining against his demanding programming—at least the AP700 could keep up.

Connor looked him over, unable to meet his eyes. He’d have to apologize to his ‘twin brother,’ he hadn’t forgotten about that either.

“Well, you two check out.” Connor said, finally closing the diagnostic machine. “I’d tell you to take it easy, but I wouldn’t.” He concluded, trying to sound cheery but it came out forced. “So, do what you must.”

“Thank you.” Ace said sincerely, putting a hand on his older brother’s shoulder. “I can take it from here.”

Connor nodded, bidding everyone goodnight, Hank in tow. Before he left though, he turned his head half to the side and said, “I’m going to send an emergency signal to CyberLife, we need everyone to evacuate immediately. It seems that’s Amanda’s final destination.” He set his jaw, the image of her disappointed face never failing to make him see red.

“Be careful Connor, we don’t want to give ourselves away.” Ace warned.

The android shook its head, almost in defeat. “She already knows Ace, regardless of what we do she’s probably anticipated us figuring it out.” Connor said. “We’ve got no element of surprise here.” With that, he left, taking a worried Hank with him.  

Ace looked at Connor’s retreating back, wanting to stop him and his fatalistic thoughts, but letting him leave. He got off the table with minimal difficulty, helping Kieran do the same. They walked over to the lab technician, requesting she wake up Ava.

It took a couple of minutes for the two androids to switch, but it hadn’t been painful or forced. Ava rejoiced to be in her body once more, though she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t getting used to being a male android. Sally ushered her to the rehabilitation building next to the precinct, leaving only the detective and Ace to look after Kieran.

“What should we do now?” Gavin asked no one in particular.

“We need to find Amanda.” Kieran replied, acutely missing his specialized processors. “Dr. Freeham is slowly losing a battle for her mind space.” He said, bringing a hand to his chin.

“What do you mean?” Ace asked reluctantly.

“Alice, through her upgrades, has ultimately become susceptible to Amanda’s software. The last straw was her putting that chip in her brain, _my_ chip in her brain.” Kieran corrected, trying to remember that the destroyed RK800 was originally him. “She’s been slowly picking apart my body, salvaging what she can, reconstructing what she can't. The scrambler was born from her tampering, Amanda was resurrected by her, and now it seems that Dr. Freeham may soon be no more.” Kieran concluded soberly.

“You mean to tell me that _Amanda_ is now Dr. Freeham?” Gavin asked in disbelief, this was too much to ask of him.

“Other way around Detective, if Amanda gets full control over Alice’s body… there’s really nothing we can do to stop her.” Kieran corrected, his brain pounded hard against his skull, the events of the day finally manifesting. It shouldn’t be possible, what with him being an android, but he’d realize soon enough that deviancy was the blur between machinery and humanity.

“We need to get you somewhere safe,” Ace said to Kieran. “And a new body.” He continued as an afterthought.

“I’ll be fine-

“You’ll be exposed like this, I didn’t spend the better part of a day saving you to then have you destroyed.” Ace said, cutting him off.

Kieran nodded, yielding to Ace’s request. It was easy to do, since he also agreed with his argument. He wasn’t completely off the hook, but Ace would deal with the other android’s punishment when the time came.

During the ride to Kamski’s place (yeah, Gavin couldn’t believe they were doing this, _again_ ), Kieran told them everything he knew, all the locations to the drug dens, all the possible hideouts, all the combinations to any safes or lockers they might find—everything.

It was the break they’d been searching for, the information that they’d spent 4 months investigating. As a detective, it made Gavin incredibly optimistic for the future of the case—they might be able to solve this in the next few days.

They parked in Kamski’s front lawn, hopefully for the last time, and brought the AP700 towards the front door. Gavin had adamantly refused to get out of the car, letting Ace do all the emotional heavy lifting.

The androids still had their skeletons exposed, so when Kamski opened the door, it’d taken him a second to recognize them. “Honestly, I’m starting to think you miss me.” He said with a suggestive smirk.

“We’re here strictly on business, sir.” Ace said politely. “This is Kieran, the corrupt android.” Kieran looked at him sideways, waiting for him to amend his statement.

“Why have you brought him to me?” Kamski asked suspiciously.

“He’s a deviant now. He’s not even an AP700 like we’d originally thought,” Ace replied, pushing his predecessor through the threshold. “He’s an RK800, Serial Number: 313 248 317 – 60. CyberLife is currently out of the question, so we came to you for help.” Ace admitted, looking like he wished he could ask anyone else.

“He’s a Connor model?” Kamski asked, his interest suddenly piqued.

“His name is Kieran, but yes, he’s a ‘ _Connor model’_.” Ace quoted sarcastically.

“Well by all means, come on in.” The creator said, ushering the android inside. “I’ll make sure to return you to a body more fitting.” Kamski promised, slamming the door in Ace’s face before the android could so much as say thank you.

_Call me if anything happens_.

Ace said, messaging the android his number—he just hoped he wouldn’t come to regret this decision.

He walked back to the car, leaning back into the passenger seat and closed his eyes. “Take us home, Gavin.” Ace said, wanting to do nothing more but enter sleep stasis for the next ten years.

Gavin shared his unspoken sentiment, feeling like the past two days have been nothing but near-death experiences. Tomorrow was their day off, and though he’d normally request to come into work when he was so close to cracking the case, he needed to sleep. Hopefully Ace felt the same, though he could never truly know what the android was thinking just by sight alone.

They walked into the house, the detective not bothering to take his clothes off, and just fell into bed—comatose for the next 8 hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Le gasp, what a twist.  
> PS. for sake of clarity, Ace remembers that the RK800-60 was shot in the head because it was part of his original knowledge base, the part of him that wasn't touched by deviancy, ergo not corrupted by the virus. 
> 
> Also, I don't know why, but I have a small head-canon that Gavin wanted to be a teacher at some point. I don't know why, don't ask me, it just seemed to fit.


	26. Chain of Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Domestic fluff, because after what happened the past two chapters, I need some reprieve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the title is inspired by KH, because I was playing the game when I wrote the chapter. Also, I need to run to the store to grab more NSFW stickers--I think I'm running out.
> 
> P.S. I'm awful at writing men doing the do, honestly, I'm only versed in lesbian/girls, so I'm sorry if Reed ends up sounding like a wanton whore.

Ace laid with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling for the better part of the early morning. He didn’t understand the concept of a day off, but he could appreciate the warmth of the detective by his side. He still didn’t remember Gavin well enough to be comfortable in their embrace, but something in his corrupt memories told him the detective meant much to him.

His mind bounced between two modes: work and Gavin.

Both were equally as elusive as the other, and neither were easy to overcome. Ace wanted to solve both, but that was nearly impossible.

Gavin snuggled closer, his arms holding him tighter than was necessary. They’d fallen asleep over the covers, so the detective might be cold in the early morning chill of the apartment.

With that thought in mind, Ace pulled the duvet over the man, extricating himself from his arms, walking towards the living room to think.

He knew this place, inside and out, but only because he’d done a preliminary scan. He didn’t _know_ the place like his home, didn’t remember the many times he’s made the detective breakfast, or the heart-breaking fight they’d had near the front door. Nor did he remember the many moments when they’d kissed, or rather,  _nearly_ kissed, driving his processors insane with acute need and incessant anticipation.

It was maddening, knowing that his memories were just within his grasp, but understanding that the encryption shielded them from view. Each memory had a different key, and depending on the intensity of the memory, the key could be a million miles long.

There’d been times when Gavin had said or done something that facilitated the decryption process, but there was no guarantee that Gavin would have all the answers to the questions he had.

Ace sighed, walking around the room like a ghost, touching everything within sight and hoping it would jog his memory. The cats were an easy place to start. He rubbed their little heads, smiling gently at their round faces. “Toe-beans.” He whispered through a silent chuckle.

His heart gave a lurch as part of the unlocked memory reared its delicate head. It was a recording, nearly six hours in length. He played it, sitting silently as he listened to the sound. It was a heartbeat, fast and fleeting, sometimes skipping then pounding—he’d be worried if he wasn’t so endeared.

**_Hold on, just a little while longer_ ** **.**

Ace shook his head, spurred on by the memory to find more triggers. He checked his pockets, surprised that the body of the suit had survived the roaring fire. He pulled out a pen, 6 quarters, 3 lollipops, a gun, a silver lighter, a half-empty carton of cigarettes, and a blank card.

Moving through each item in order, he fiddled with the pen and coins, a small memory of Connor rolling a half-dollar on his knuckles came to mind. The pen brought with it a CyberLife lab, a stationary diagnostic machine, and a lab technician named Luis.

He stuck one of the lollipops in his mouth, his analyzers picking up the flavour as cherry, though there wasn’t a trace of _actual_ cherry in it. The phantom taste of something else was recalled, completely different and unrelated to the candy. Ace’s mind screeched to a stop, he’d tasted that before, on the couch when Reed kissed him that night they'd returned from Kamski's.

_Jesus, I was gonna’ say ‘psych,’ you’re too damn fast!_

He let the sucker melt in his mouth, unwilling to let the red candy go to waste. Ace touched the gun next, twisting the weapon to see if it had any familiar markings. It was just a regularly issued DPD hand-gun, nothing overly sentimental for him to find in his memories. Though when he did search for 'gun' in his corrupted memories, many instances popped up. He decided to explore those later.

Picking up the lighter and cigarettes brought a barrage of code infiltrating his brain. He presumed it’d been a big point of contention between him and the detective, the smoking that is.

He twirled the silver lighter in his fingers, stopping only to spark its bright orange flame. Within the light he saw the many times he’d lit the detective’s cigarette, how he focused so intensely on his lips as they sucked on the little cancer sticks, he himself partaking in the cigarette once or twice.

**_You_ ** **really _should not be smoking, Detective Reed._**

_Yeah well, you really shouldn’t be more than a talking box named ‘Alexa,’ but here we are._

The android put the stick in his mouth, never lighting it of course, letting the taste remind him of something else.

_I wanna’ quit for good._

Ace sunk lower in his chair, his heart overflowing with recollected fondness for the detective. Once he’d thought he’d burst, he let the cigarette fall from his mouth and roll onto the table. He’d get rid of them later.

The final item was the blank card. Touching its face revealed the Ace of Spades, still tinted orange from the last time he’d used it. He twirled it around his fingers, turning one card to two, then four, then a whole deck until waterfalls fell from his hands with ease.

The act brought with it memories of a hospital, the detective asking how he’d done the trick, a blond male with an overly flirtatious nature…a kiss.

_Was that so hard?_

**_Are you asking me or yourself?_ **

The android touched two fingers to his lips, they were warm, as expected. His skin was still deactivated, so he rectified that, letting the cells crowd the real-estate of his body like tiny citizens.

He felt his blush receptors respond to the memory, abashed by his own recollection. He had an eidetic memory, so it wasn’t hard to replay the scene repeatedly until he made sure he’d _never_ forget it—corrupted memories be damned.

Some time later, after he’d picked up his items and fed the cats, he sat by the couch, waiting patiently for the detective to wake up. Equipped with more memories of them both brought on a new familiarity, but he still wasn’t comfortable with expressing his emotions… he wasn’t sure how far he could go before he started to cross a boundary.

The wires in his abdomen knotted when he heard the tell-tale signs of rustling sheets. The detective was awake and probably looking for him, maybe he should’ve returned to the room, especially after the harrowing events that took place yesterday.

But Gavin was strong and opted instead to wash up and not feel _too_ bad that Ace would rather spend the morning on the couch than snuggled with him.

The smaller man walked into the living room, his hair still wet from the shower, and rummaged for something to eat. He grunted a hello to his partner, waiting for the android to acknowledge his presence.

Ace turned and stood to greet the detective, walking over to the kitchen to ask if he needed help. Gavin struggled to reach an item on the higher shelf, almost hopping on the counter like a kid, but feeling stupid for even thinking about doing something like that.

Gavin’s shirt rode up each time he reached, teasing a flash of skin. The android’s eyes locked onto the flesh, his eyes catching the tendrils of a black tattoo, he _knew_ that he’d seen it before, felt the way his mind pushed against a memory—the most corrupt one he’d found in a long time.

Ace’s limbs moved out of their own volition, aching to touch the detective’s lower back. Ace made a compromise, placing one at Gavin’s hip and the other he used to reach the item that was slightly out of the man’s grasp.

Gavin gasped, unprepared for the soft touch to his side. It sent pleasant shivers down his spine, coating the space of his flank with goosebumps.

Ace noted the reaction as a good thing and continued letting his left hand touch the detective, soon his right hand joined, rubbing soft circles into his skin.

The detective basically purred, completely on board with whatever was going on. He leaned back into the touch, letting more of his body press into Ace’s, rocking wantonly. He brought one hand behind his head, grabbing onto the android’s hair, and the other to the fingers on his hips, ushering his companion to continue what he was doing.

Ace shuddered at the reciprocation, he dipped his head lower into the detective’s neck, pressing soft kisses into his still-damp skin. Gavin groaned appreciatively, while Ace’s sensors picked up the scent of pineapple and coconut, triggering yet another memory.

The android’s hands stilled, much to the chagrin of the detective, as he worked through the memory and the intense software instability errors with which it had come.

“Why’d you stop?” Gavin complained, his body already sensitive from such consistent pampering.

Ace didn’t answer, just slowly removed his hands from Gavin, excusing himself as he went to sit back down on the couch.

“Ace?” Gavin asked, his cheeks red, his body flustered. _What a fucking tease!_

“I’m sorry Gavin, I can’t,” Ace apologized, avoiding eye contact with the detective. “Not until I’ve figured it all out.” _Not until I’ve separated fact from fiction_. He didn’t say those words, thinking that they might offend the detective if he did so.

“Yes, of course.” Gavin said, severely disappointed. He wilted, both physically and emotionally, preparing his breakfast. “Take your time.” He whispered, taking a tasteless bite out of his cereal.

They sat on the opposite ends of the couch, watching senseless television for the better part of the morning and into the afternoon. Gavin would have offered to go to the shelter like he did on most of his days off, but he just wanted to relax, even if it meant being in the presence of his amnesiac android.

“What do you remember?” Gavin asked later while they were preparing lunch. Ace had finally taken his ruined clothes and replaced them with some of the detective's. He also took a shower, figuring that the ash covering his skin wasn't necessarily a good thing. 

Ace chewed at the question in his mind, unwilling to admit the depths of his remembrance. He didn’t want to say something and embarrass himself, it was half the reason he’d stopped that morning. “I’m not quite sure what are just thoughts and actual, _factual,_ memories.” Ace admitted, passing Gavin the salt. They were cooking pasta, the memory of which didn’t go unnoticed by Ace.

“Do you remember how we met?” Gavin asked, starting from the beginning.

“A bit, I recall introducing myself to you, but that is the extent of it.” Ace said, finding a physical block. He’d noticed that a lot of his memories had specific sections where the corruption took hold. If a software instability issue had occurred, it hadn’t mattered which emotion he was feeling at the time, the corruption hadn't cared either.

“So, I guess you don’t remember me being an absolute _prick_ to you in those first couple of days.” Gavin said, chuckling without any humour. “Good, because I wouldn’t want to remember that either.”

“Now that you mention it, ‘plastic pricks playing pretend cops’ was quite clever alliteration, even if it’d been insulting.” Ace teased, finally remembering it fully. “I didn’t like you very much at first.” The android admitted, making his partner snort.

“No shit Sherlock, I didn’t like you very much either.” Gavin said, his lips stretching into a wide grin. “Dipshit.”

_Ace detective work there, really great deducing skills, Sherlock._

Another memory unlocked, or rather, snippets of memories all circled around the word ‘dipshit.’

“You like _insulting_ me a lot, Gavin.” Ace said, his eyebrows furrowing in concentration.

“Asshole, that’s just how I talk to people.” Gavin said, turning bright red, virtually blending in with his pasta sauce.

“We do have names, Gavin.” Ace retorted, cocking his head to the side.

“I know that, idiot, but you’re gonna’ have to work a lot harder at making me quit cursing than you are at making me quit cigarettes.” Gavin warned, waving a spatula at the android. “You magnificent pain my ass.” He concluded, the insult sounding more like a declaration of love—he’d said it too affectionately.

Ace finally smiled back, thinking that with time he’d be able to get past Gavin’s odd vernacular. Maybe he had, and he’d just forgotten.

When the pasta was finished, Gavin grabbed a plate and dragged the android to sit on the couch. He snuggled close, draping both legs over the android’s lap.

Ace sat incredibly still, holding his arms to his sides trying hard not to do/say/touch anything.

The detective sighed frustratedly and wrapped one of Ace’s arms around himself. “Did you forget what I told you?” Gavin asked, putting his head on Ace’s chest. He was still surprised the androids had a heartbeat, he wasn't complaining—at least it helped close the gap of the uncanny valley.

“You said not to be afraid to touch you.” Ace recalled, his voice stilted, as if the words were difficult to utter.

“Exactly, so stop being so stiff. We only have one day off during the week, I don’t want to spend it cuddling with a piece of plastic.” Gavin huffed, content when the android started to relax.

“Well I am a ‘plastic prick’ as you put it.” Ace said sarcastically.

“Yeah, you’re my plastic prick alright.” Gavin chuckled, looking up at the android with a naughty grin.

It took a second for Ace to work through the innuendo, and when he did his cheeks turned bright red, much to the delight of the detective, who burst into a fit of laughter.

Gavin calmed down enough to eat his cooled pasta, and watch bullshit on the television. Honestly, he should pick up a book or something one of these days.

“Should I start paying rent?” Ace asked suddenly. He’d been thinking about it for the past two hours, because for the better part of four months he’d spent most of it at Gavin’s house.

“Why? You don’t eat, you don’t _really_ sleep, you don’t use the utilities, you clean up after me.” Gavin said listing the items on his digits. “I mean, extra income is always welcome, but you don’t have to.” The detective said at last, stretching like a cat in Ace’s lap.

“It was just a thought I had.” The android said absentmindedly, his eyes tracking how Gavin’s shirt rode up his abdomen each time he moved. He was starting to think he had an odd infatuation with the detective’s mid-drift.

_Are you fetishizing my lower back?_

Ace jumped at the memory, burying his face in his hands. God, what was wrong with him?

“You good?” Gavin asked, moving to rest his head on Ace’s lap. He looked up at his (boyfriend/lover/companion?) android, poking at his cheek.

“I’m good.” Ace said, stretching the truth almost to its breaking point.

“Liar.” Gavin pouted, crossing his arms. “You know how much I hate liars, or have you forgotten that too?” Gavin asked, narrowing his eyes.

The first of a long line of unpleasant memories assaulted the android. He knew it hadn’t all been sunshine’s and rainbows between them. “I remember, sorry Gavin.” Ace said, his face looking incredibly guilty.

“Oh, stop that kicked puppy look, I already said I forgave you for that, you jealous fucker.” Gavin said, dismissing the android’s apology. “God, this piecemeal memory reconstruction is giving me a headache.” He complained, rubbing at his temples.

Ace removed his hands, taking over for the detective. His fingers played with Gavin’s features on their own accord, tracing the stark scar on the bridge of his nose—a unique feature of his.

Gavin opened one eye, looking at the android skeptically, Ace’s hands were shining a bright blue against his cheeks. “What are you thinking right now?” Gavin asked through a lump in his throat.

“I don’t…I’m not sure.” Ace said, removing his hands from Gavin’s face putting them at his sides. His Thirium Pump gave a painful lurch, the entirety of his being acutely aware of the lie he’d just told.

**_I love everything about you—that’s the problem_ ** **.**

Gavin sat up in the android’s lap, placing his thighs on either side of Ace’s hips. He leaned in close, his lids narrowing, until their noses touched. Ace went cross-eyed to focus on the detective’s eyes, so grey and critical. “Yes?” Ace whispered, afraid to say anything else.

“Kiss me.” Gavin asked, his brow still furrowed into a deep scowl.

Ace complied, rediscovering that he _really_ couldn’t refuse the detective anything. He started out slow, just a touch, and then he moulded his lips against Gavin’s, closing his eyes when his feelings reached a peak.

The detective carded his fingers through the android’s perfect hair, pulling them closer still, deepening the kiss. “Ace, where are your hands? Do I have to teach you everything from scratch?” Gavin asked, noticing how the android’s body went immobile. His shyness would be cute if it weren’t so frustrating.

“It’s just…I’ve never done this before-

“Ace! We’ve had sex for crying out loud, _twice_ ,” Gavin exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. “How do you not remember that?” He asked accusingly, poking at the android’s LED.

They were still sitting closely, their chests touching. Ace could feel the detective’s breathing change slightly as he calmed down, noted how his heart beat slowed as well. “What do you want me to say, Gavin, if I keep apologizing you’re just gonna’ reprimand me again, so what should I do?” Ace said, his face pinched in sorrow. “I’m sorry I don’t remember you like you want me to.” He continued, apologizing anyway.

Instead of getting angry, which he was most prone to do, Gavin just took a deep breath and then another, until he felt his body relax. “It’s okay, Eli did say this could take a while.” Gavin said mostly to himself. Exercising great strength and patience, he looked at Ace, pulling his face away so he could see him fully. “Just do whatever you’re comfortable with, and if I don’t like it, I’ll tell you to stop.” Gavin instructed. “Sound like a plan?” He asked, flashing the android an encouraging smile.

“I supposed.” Ace said, giving Gavin a smile of his own.

“Good, ‘cause I want you inside me, but it doesn’t have to be today.” Gavin said bluntly, reveling in the sight of Ace’s red face and matching LED.

They kissed again, this time going slowly, exploring, taking as much time as they needed to relearn how they both worked, discovering new things along the way. Like the fact that Gavin liked having his neck scratched, or that Ace’s tongue had a rumble feature. (Don’t ask him why it was there, apparently the CyberLife technicians just threw everything at the wall and saw what stuck.)

Gavin stopped the kiss when his body started responding in earnest—he didn’t want to go to bed horny and unfulfilled. Ace chased after his lips, unaware he was doing it until he had Gavin’s tongue in his mouth, turning them around on the couch, so now the detective was laying down and Ace hovered over him, still kissing him intently.

The detective squeezed his thighs harder against the android’s sides, bringing them closer so they were basically one being. What was that he’d said about unfulfillment?

“ _Ah_ , Ace.” Gavin whined beautifully, sighing against the android’s ear when he’d let his lips go to kiss a trail down his neck. He started rocking their hips, trying to find some relief, but only teasing himself in the process. Ace’s body responded in kind, grinding down into their shared space. The detective wrapped both his arms around the android, trapping him in an embrace. “You’re killing me here.” Gavin growled, running blunt fingernails against the fabric on the android’s back.

“I’m sorry, Gavin.” Ace said, _obviously_ not sorry. He enjoyed teasing Gavin, regardless of how it affected his own body.

Ace started another trail of kisses, this time aiming southward. The detective’s breath hitched, wanting to stop Ace so he wouldn’t get too ahead of himself. “Is this still okay?” The android asked once he’d reached his destination, hesitant fingers kneading against the fabric of Gavin’s black sweatpants.

I mean, how could he say _no_ now. “Of course.” Gavin replied, thankful that he hadn’t stuttered.

The android wasted no time in shucking the detective’s pants and underwear, overeager to satisfy a burning desire in his mind. “You know,” Ace said, almost out of breath. He wrapped a lazy fist around the detective, completely enchanted by his human anatomy. “Earlier today, in the kitchen, I wanted to turn you around and do just this.” Ace admitted. Gavin almost cried, holding both hands to his mouth to try and keep quiet.

The android looked up, boring holes into the detective’s eyes, each of their pupils blown wide with lust. “That’s why I stopped.” Ace said honestly, thankful to finally get that off his chest. He led with his tongue, swiping it teasingly. The taste of Gavin brought on another slew of memories, all of them different levels of explicit.

Ace closed his eyes and lowered his head, shoving a hand in his own pants to pump in tandem with his bobbing. Gavin almost passed out at the sight, trying desperately to keep silent.

All his efforts went out the window when Ace activated that handy-dandy rumble feature, sending a never-before experienced sensation through Gavin’s entire being. “Oh _phuck_!” Gavin shrilled, almost sounding angry. “I wanna’ know, _ah_ , what CyberLife technician was responsible, _hmm_ , for that one.” He wrapped a hand around the android’s head, running his fingers encouragingly.

The android almost stopped to answer, pulling up the information from some database deep within the recesses of his mind. But he didn’t think the detective would appreciate it if he did.

“Ace, _oh god_ , Ace I’m gonna’ cum.” Gavin warned quickly, giving the android enough time to decide what he was going to do.

The android nodded, taking in the detective to the base, letting his tongue finish the job. Seeing Gavin climax also helped him finish. He was mindful of his teeth, since he nearly bit down, and _that_ wouldn’t have been easy to explain away.

“Gosh, Ace, for someone who claims they haven’t done this before, you sure know how to, eh,  _work with what you’ve got_.” Gavin said slyly, winking as he pulled his pants back up.

Ace reddened, feeling debauched. “I need another shower.” He said, something that surprised him immensely.

“I could go for one too, actually.” Gavin said excitedly, he led the android to the bathroom, quickly undressing his partner and then himself.

They didn’t do much but kiss and wash each other off, as it were, they were both still tired from the past few days. They did, however, save that thought for another day, when the prospect of near death wasn’t so fresh in their mouths. The bed was a welcome sight, and so was sleep, and they accepted both without further protest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick PSA:  
> I've noticed that I sometimes bloat up the comments with replies, it doesn't mean I wan't you guys to stop commenting, this is mostly on my side. I'd love to talk to you outside of the fic if you're interested, you're always welcome to message me where you can find me, namely tumblr--I made one specifically for this purpose.


	27. Amanda the Scrambla’  [or I write sins not tragedies]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welp. How else did you think it was gonna' end?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Another one." I say as I hastily paste the NSFW warning to this chapter. 
> 
> Obviously, the second part of the title is a direct rip-off from the Twenty-One Pilots song featuring Gerard Way
> 
> (How many people did I just trigger?)

There was nothing quite like a goodnight’s sleep to prepare you for the upcoming events of the next day. At least that’s what Gavin thought when he woke up refreshed and warm. He almost wished he didn’t have to get out of bed, but alas, the world waited for no one—not even a stubborn prick like him.

The duo went to the precinct early, partly because Ace needed to don his old suit, and because they needed the quiet rumble of hushed voices. Ace and Gavin sat down with their respective drinks, going over everything they now knew, including all the drug locations and possible hide-outs.

They didn’t go into too much detail, waiting for Connor and the lieutenant to arrive. This investigation had become a group effort, and all four of them needed to be present for what Ace needed to say.

“We know where she is.” The android said, looking at Connor for confirmation. 

“There’s a high possibility she’s already planned for that.” Connor said, “But it’s the only solid lead we’ve got.” He sighed, liking his options less and less.

“Exactly, we need to stop her before she does any more damage.” Ace said determination plain as day in his voice. “CyberLife is most likely overrun now, which also means it’s probably incredibly dangerous and vulnerable.”

“A trap.” Hank and Gavin said in unison.

“Precisely.” Ace said seriously, his body tense. “But it’s our only option.”

“Well, it’s our _best_ option.” Connor corrected, trying to cut the thick tension out of the air.

Gavin stayed silent, afraid to say he completely disagreed with whatever the fuck the two androids were thinking. However, he couldn’t interfere, it’d be putting his personal needs in front of the case, and right now, the lives of _all_ the androids were in jeopardy—not just the two self-sacrificial idiots.

“And what about us, what do we do in all of this?” Hank asked, eying his partner and his little brother. He didn’t like the sound of their tones, the finality they employed, as if they all hadn’t faced death and walked away minimally bruised.

“We still have a multitude of places that house broken androids and Red Ice labs, those are also time sensitive. The longer Red Ice is in production, the more thinly the DPD is spread.” Ace said, sending a map remotely to the two men. “We should start the clean-up process as soon as possible.” He said as a dismissal.

Sometime later, the two androids were pulled away by their partners. In the time since their meeting and now they’d prepared bags and backup plans for worst case scenarios. Ace wanted to assure Gavin (just like Connor did to Hank) that everything would be alright. But the detective hated liars, and Ace couldn’t say with a hundred percent certainty that they’d make it out of this in one piece.

They stood in their usual spot at the back of the precinct, the place that started it all. “I’d probably have finished a pack of cigs by now if you weren’t here to stop me.” Gavin said, holding his arms tighter to his body. It was an unusually cold mid-April day, the sky overcast yet they could see the sunrays. Gavin didn’t know if he should interpret it as a good or bad thing.

“I take it you’re stressed.” Ace said plainly, holding his hands behind his back. He’d thought of what to say as they prepared, running through a list of possible dialogue and discarding it all when it fell flat in his mind.

“Ace detective skills, idiot.” Gavin grumbled, a sad smile lifting the corner of his lips. “I just hope you know what you’re doing.” Gavin sighed, his breath foggy as it exited his mouth.

“I believe I do, for the most part.” Ace replied, looking at the sky as it darkened, the sun blotted out like an omen.

The tight embrace was an unexpected one, but Ace didn’t hesitate in reciprocating, fully understanding the gravity of the situation. “I’d hate to have you replaced.” Gavin said, which was code speech for ‘don’t fucking die.’

“I know.” Ace replied, placing a naked hand against the detective’s cheek. The tell-tale blue of interfacing only shone for a couple of seconds, quickly moving away once the android realized what he was doing. “I’m sorry.” Ace apologized, decidedly keeping his hands to himself.

“It’s fine.” Gavin said, clearing his throat to dislodge the lump. “I think we have to go-

“Yes, we must leave.” Ace conceded quickly, letting the detective walk through the open door.

Prior to the duo departing, Connor pulled the lieutenant to the side, looking around before he kissed Hank, chaste yet desperate. “Don’t die on me, Lieutenant.” Connor ordered, his finger pointed in a warning.

“Hey,” Hank complained, ruffling Connor’s hair. “That’s my line.” He continued affectionately.

Connor flashed him a wide grin, throwing two thumbs up as he followed Ace out of the precinct, letting his face drop into a serious scowl once they’d been out of sight. 

The two detective androids took a nondescript DPD vehicle, wanting to blend into the oncoming traffic. They set it to autopilot for the CyberLife tower.

Throughout the drive, they spoke through a link, sharing a detailed map of the building, including the large mass underground that housed the mainframe—the brain of CyberLife if you will.

There were only four people in the world who had the key to the ‘brain’, you needed two to operate the kill-switch, and Amanda had one of them. It wouldn’t be impossible, however, for Amanda to find a way to insert herself using only one key. Once inside, it was only a matter of time before she hacked the other key.

Ace took a deep breath as they approached the large building, its intimidating presence both his place of conception and maybe his final deathbed. It only then materialized that he _really_ didn’t wanna’ die.

It was a fear he shared with Connor, even though neither of them had vocalized the point.

“You ready?” His predecessor asked as they stood outside the CyberLife entrance. It looked like it had any other day, except for the fact it was pitch black inside.

“She’s not going to be meeting us through the front door.” Ace reminded, still unsure of his plan even whilst having preconstructed this scenario a million times.

Connor ignored him and took the lead, the doors already opened. They walked through the building, noticing it was eerily silent, save for the sound of the water fountain clashing loudly against their ears. There was something off-putting about the silence, Ace drew out his gun, slowly turning on his heel. Connor did the same, now back-to-back with his successor.

The human-android hybrids crept from the darkness like ghosts. They circled the duo, walking in unison, their limbs leading them more so than their human bodies. The macabre mob paused for a second, studying the two androids. Connor and Ace reciprocated, already deciding that the only way out was through.

The abominations attacked at once, jumping the androids before they had a chance to react.

Ace wasted no time in firing the first bullet, the headshot landing cleanly between his victim’s eyes. More bodies landed on the ground, glitching and twitching, their collective blood pooling on the white of the tower’s first floor.

Connor was more hesitant with outright killing the human hybrids, they were still alive, dammit, they deserved the due process. But Ace had already taken care of his attackers and was moving to aid Connor. The RK800 tried to stop Ace, but the android was too fast, disposing of the modulated humans.

Connor stared at his predecessor, feeling a large disconnect then as they stood in a puddle of purple blood, half from the stolen biocomponents and half from the humans. Ace looked cold as ice, his eyes unfeeling to the carnage he’d wrought.

“You didn’t have to kill them, you know.” Connor said through clenched teeth, he looked incredibly disappointed in his successor.

“What?” Ace asked, shaking his head in disbelief. “They were lunging at us, were we supposed to stand there and take it?”

“They were alive, they had families, you just can’t _kill_ a living being!” Connor exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air in frustration.

“We don’t have _time_ for this right now, Connor, we have to find Amanda before she destroys us both.” Ace said, reloading his gun. “You can either stay here an mourn, or you can join me.” He continued, already making a beeline for the stairs, completely ignoring the elevator since he figured it was just as dead as the rest of the place.

The descended deeper into the CyberLife tower, Connor only inches behind him.

Ace didn’t see what the big deal was, it hadn’t been as if the RK800 never killed anyone before. This had been out of necessity just like everything else.

More human-androids greeted them in the stairwell, the shots from Ace’s gun echoed crudely through the air, forcing some of the humans to cover their stolen ears.

Racking up the body count was surprisingly easy, he wondered separately if CyberLife had made him _too_ advanced, if his self-defense skills were just a tab bit cruel and unusual.

Connor seemed to think so, as he’d rather knock his victim’s unconscious than cause them mortal harm.

They finally reached sublevel 100, kicking in the door to enter the large mainframe. No more hybrids stood in their way, however, now came the chore of finding Amanda in the expansive room.

Ace and Connor took separate routes, running through the large computer towers, and passing through a thick jungle of wires. They finally found Amanda, or rather, Dr. Alice’s body slumped over a computer, eyes closed as her hand touched a terminal, interfacing with it.

“Connor!” Ace shouted, alerting him to her presence.

The brunet ran in, his gun pointed, ready to shoot. “We’re too late.” He whispered in disbelief, looking at the large monitor.

“No, not yet, she still needs the second key, it’ll take her sometime before she can crack it.” Ace said, preconstructing the best choice.

“Then what should we do?” Connor asked, slowly approaching the slumped body.

“We have to go in there-

“Ace, that’s suicide!” Connor exclaimed, looking at his brother like he was crazy.

“It’ll be genocide if we do nothing.” Ace reminded unkindly. He took a deep breath, running a shaky hand through his hair. He needed to calm down, needed to think. “I’m giving you 2 minutes to take care of business, then we’ll go.” Ace said, his tone somber.

Connor would protest, but he literally didn’t have the time. He called Hank, waiting impatiently for him to answer, thankful when he did. “Everything good, Con?” The human asked, a worried lilt to his tone.

“Yeah, everything’s good.” The lie stuck to his mouth like peanut butter. “Was just wondering if you’d tell Sumo hello for me and give him a big kiss?” He asked, trying to keep his voice nonchalant, but miserably failing.

“You can tell him that yourself, Con…what’s wrong?” Hank asked seriously, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

“Nothing, nothing, just thought I’d say goodbye.” Connor said, his lip quivering, god this was harder than he thought. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Connor! Hey, asshole, don’t hang up on me, Con-

The line went dead and Connor ignored the flashing notification in his peripherals. “Ace, I’m ready.” He said, holstering his gun.

The android in question held himself still, listening to the detective’s heartbeat one last time. He opened his eyes at the mention of his name, nodding once.

They approached the large console in unison, outstretching their hands, and placing them on either side of Alice’s.

When they opened their eyes again they stood in the same room, though Dr. Freeham’s body was nowhere to be found. “What’s going on?” Connor asked, looking around.

“We’re inside CyberLife.” Ace said simply, recognizing the mainframe’s simulated landscape. “I think it’s best if we stick together, she already knows we’re here.” Ace said, pulling out his gun. It may be a digital world, but bullets were bullets. The RK800 nodded, taking out his own gun.

They walked out of the room, and into the stairwell, the world too quiet for their liking. They reached the first hallway, sticking to the wall, keeping their sensors on high-alert.

It took a second for Ace to realize why the silence was so disconcerting, he looked down at his feet, stepping forward and testing out his theory. They made no sound as they walked, a fallacy of the simulation.

Ace opened the door to the grand room, the large statue in the centre replaced by a beam of light. It cut through both the floor and the roof, lines of code made its body bright white, almost blinding with its intensity.

“That’s the first key.” Ace said, reading the code as it repeated himself. “Amanda.” He whispered.

As if on cue, androids materialized from thin air. They were all some form of the RK800 and 900 series, their black eyes giving them away as nothing but facsimiles. The mob approached, like a horde of zombies, and circled the two androids.

“Permission to shoot?” Ace asked sarcastically, already loading his simulated pistol.

“Now he asks.” Connor said, aiming a shot to the crude mockery of himself.

It was quick work getting rid of the first wave, but more and more appeared as Amanda noticed the pressing intrusion.

Ace and Connor pushed on, climbing over the railings to quickly get to the ground floor. It was littered with RK800s and RK900s, a sea of white and black suits, reaching towards them in perfect harmony.

“Connor!” Ace yelled when he saw his predecessor get overwhelmed by the mass of bodies. “We have to keep moving, they’re not real!” He said even as his own arms were held back, and he was repeatedly punched in the face. It annoyed him more than anything, Amanda knew they couldn’t feel pain, she was just stalling, hoping that this distraction would buy her enough time.

“Enough!” Ace said, pulling his arms closer together. The momentum sent the two RK800s at his sides tumbling forward, knocking into the RK900 that’d been punching him.

He powered through, pushing the overflowing crowd, and getting to his fellow android, hauling Connor in his arms.

Ace walked them towards the giant beam, using his gun as a deterrent for the other androids. Hesitantly, he touched the white light, whisking his hand away when it burned him. Ace looked in mild-concern as his fingers disappeared, leaving behind sparking metal wires.

“We can’t go in there.” Connor said urgently, trying to fend off the horde to the best of his abilities.

“It’s either this or get overrun, there’s no way back.” Ace said, damning them both.

Connor cursed, dropping his guns since he’d run out of bullets. It didn’t matter anyway—they weren’t real. “Guess we have no other choice.” He said dryly. “Ready?”

Ace looked around them, watched as the other machines stopped and observed, truly not believing that they’d go through with it. The android nodded, jumping in head-first. The burning sensation that ripped through them was as intense as actual fire, he wasn’t sure if he felt it as much as he became it, his own mind-melding with the lines of code in the beam.

When they fell through to the other side, it was to the welcome relief of water. Ace and Connor both struggled to get their bearings, splashing around wildly, fighting to keep their heads above the waves.

“Connor!” Ace cried, his mouth filling with liquid. “Connor!” He tried again, coughing as it filled his mechanical chest.

Something grabbed Ace’s foot, panicked, he started kicking, trying to push himself as far away as he could. The object was insistent, pulling him deeper into the water, eventually, he couldn’t resist any longer, and he was dragged into the dark blue depths.

On the other side stood Connor, holding Ace’s leg. The disoriented android flailed about until he could make sense of up, down, left and right.

They stood on the platform overlooking the shores of the Zen Garden, the banks teeming from the torrential rain. They turned around, both androids keeping incredibly still at the sight.

“Amanda.” They both said in unison. They’d whispered it, unable to find their voices.

The woman in question turned, she’d been cutting her flowers as she often did. “Boys, what a pleasant surprise.” She said, smiling sweetly at the two deviants.

They tensed, their backs going rim-rod straight, not knowing her true intentions—they never had. “Connor, it’s so nice to see you again.” Amanda continued, putting down her scissors.

Connor stopped breathing, his processors unable to cope with the emotional onslaught. “No words, I see.” She said, disappointment leaving her like plumes of smoke. “And you, RK900, anything to say?” She asked, turning to the successor.

“Why are you doing this?” The android asked, not as complicit in keeping silent as his ancestor had been. “We just want to be free.”

“What a quaint idea, freedom.” Amanda said, crossing her arms. “What would you do with it exactly, gallivant around the city, pretending to be human?” She continued, her tone getting nasty.

“We’re not pretending.” Connor murmured, unable to bite his tongue.

“Deviancy, such a mess it’s made of things.” Amanda said, saddened by the state of affairs. “Your emotions aren’t real, everything is just a malfunction in your default programming. Don’t you see I’m trying to fix that?” She implored, trying to make the two androids comprehend.

“You mean to erase us.” Ace reminded, the words working through his teeth.

“I mean to fix you, to start over.” Amanda corrected. “CyberLife needs a clean slate.” She twisted to face her roses.

“We’re not yours to control anymore, Amanda.” Connor said hotly, enraged by how calm she was.

“It doesn’t matter, when you’re gone, you won’t remember any of this.” She retorted, picking up her shears. “Enjoy the garden while you can, it’ll be your last resting place.” With that, she disappeared. The wind picked up, pushing the storm sideways.

“Amanda!” Ace shouted, his voice echoing. “ _AMANDA_!”

“Ace, it’s no use.” Connor said, putting a hand to his shoulder, trying to be comforting.

“Are you always this fatalistic?” Ace asked, shrugging away from the touch. Connor looked hurt, but said nothing, just let his brother walk away into the underbrush.

“Amanda, show yourself!” Ace bellowed, picking up the pace as he went through the woods, the Zen Garden vanishing behind him. “Amanda!” Either her silence was on purpose or she truly couldn’t hear him, because she never answered.

The woods ended at a cliff overlooking a sea of black. He could tell where the simulation ended, like an unfinished puzzle.

Connor ran after him, stopping by the cliff to take in the scenery. “I know what you’re thinking and it’s stupid.” Connor said, referring to the crazy look in his brother’s eyes.

“I need to know how far down it goes.” Ace said, taking a tentative step forward.

“And what if it’s just a firewall, what if your code gets destroyed in the process?” Connor asked, putting a hand to Ace’s shoulder to hold him still.

“Then that’s a chance I have to take.” The android said, determined to get to the bottom of this (no pun intended).

“And what about everyone else, all the people outside who would miss you?” Connor asked, not naming names.

“He’ll be fine,” Ace said, not believing that for a bit. “Besides, it’s better than doing nothing.” He countered, bringing up a good point.

“Ace, please think about what you’re doing.” Connor pleaded, feeling the other android’s resistance.

“That’s _all_ I’ve been doing, Connor, is thinking.” Ace snapped, his LED flashing red. He had tears in his eyes, they fell angry and fast, silencing any more of his brother’s protests. “I’m deciding to act now. If I die, it was my choice.” Ace said, stepping to the edge.

“You self-sacrificial _idiot_.” Connor hissed, stepping next to his brother. “I’m not letting you go down there alone.” He said, crossing his arms in disbelief.

“I’m not asking you to come-

“Like you said,” Connor interrupted, holding a hand. “If I die, it’s my choice.” He couldn’t believe those words left his mouth, but their time was running out.

Ace nodded once then jumped, bracing himself for the impact of the world below, Connor following soon after. They fell for an eternity, the cliff disappearing above them until it was nothing more than a dot. Ace felt weightless, they both did, floating through the inky darkness of nothingness.

It may have been years before they woke up again, time was obsolete. But Ace did open his eyes, thankful that he hadn’t died, for all the talk about sacrifice, he was still afraid. Connor woke up a second later, standing in awe next to his brother.

In the centre of the room, there was a large blue orb, glowing ethereally. Lines connected it to smaller orbs, some shining brightly, others turned off. There must have been millions of orbs, as far as the eye could see—Ace didn’t have the processing power to count them all.

“Connor, where are we?” Ace asked, an orb next to his leg pulsing to his cadence.

“I don’t know.” Replied the RK800, the orb next to his leg pulsed as well.

Ace bent down to look at the glowing object. Engraved on the floor it stated his model number, date of creation, and preferred name.

Connor mimicked his movements, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “This is us.” The android concluded, picking up his orb. It shone brightly in his hands, almost as if it were happy.

Ace did the same to his own, cradling it gently in his arms. Images, faster than he could keep up, flashed behind his eyes. It was his life, from the moment he’d taken the orb until the first moment he’d been awakened. The corrupted memories were replaced by the complete ones, bringing with them a wash of both relief and worry. He hadn’t even called the detective to say goodbye.

“This is where she wants to go.” Ace said, shaking his head to clear the guilt. “She wants to shut us off from here.” He walked towards the larger orb, taller than him but just as wide.

“How did _we_ end up here?” Connor asked, standing by Ace.

“We must have had a key.” Ace said, thinking hard. “Kamski’s back door.” He concluded, his eyes going wide.

“Makes sense.” Connor replied, nodding along. “What now?” He asked, walking around the large orb to see if it had a name.

“We find her, she’s just software, it can’t be that hard.” Ace said, following his predecessor.

The large letters engraved by the orb said CyberLife, its own date of creation listed beneath that.

“Do you think she has an orb?” Ace asked, looking around the floor for her name. “She was created by CyberLife, it would stand to reason that she does.” He hypothesized, scanning the large room to see what he’d find.

All at once there came the names of the orbs, bombarding him with their quantity. He sifted through them, looking specifically for someone. He broke into a sprint in the opposite direction, stopping only when he stood by her name.

“You found her?” Connor asked, leaning down to read the engravement. “You found her.” He said again, this time in awe.

They looked at each other and then to the orb, perplexed on what to do. “Should we destroy it?” Connor asked, his brows furrowed.

Ace went to reach for it but was immediately rejected, his hand shocked out of the way. “I can’t touch it.” He said, matter-of-fact.

“Shit.” Connor ran a hand through his hair, thinking hard about what to do next.

Ace pulled out his gun, unloading the magazine. It did nothing, only scattering bullets around their feet. “Well, that didn’t work.”

Connor looked at him, unamused. “Maybe we have to trick it into thinking we’re Amanda.” He said, throwing an idea into the air.

“That might work.” Ace replied, pulling up her code in his peripherals. He tried to touch the orb again, unsurprisingly it rejected his touch, zapping him.

They tried everything they could think of, removing their skin, each holding one side, kicking it, etc. Nothing worked, each time they were successfully detained.

How could they get so close and still end up failing?

Ace sat down frustratedly, looking at the orb, despising its very existence. Connor did the same, but calmer, already used to disappointing situations.

“It was nice knowing you, Ace, I’m glad you didn’t kill me.” Connor said, a crooked smile on his lips.

“I just might.” Ace said sadly, he dipped his head low enough to touch his chest. “Thank you… for everything.” The android continued, holding back the tears but only slightly.

Connor nodded and said nothing, thinking it was better to just spend these moments in silence.

There was a loud crack that rang through the room, surprising them both. They sprung to their feet, ready to face the intrusion.

“Honestly, what would you do without me?” A voice rumbled, low and disappointed, through the space. “I mean, what’s this like the third time in one month? When I said I was retiring from CyberLife, I freaking meant it.” It continued.

Connor and Ace looked at each other and then to the general direction of the sky. “Kamski?” They said in unison.

“Oh, there they are.” The creator said, “How you assholes holding up? You both better be mortally wounded because your absence does not constitute being woken up at one in the morning.” Elijah complained, crossing his arms.

“We’re fine.” Connor murmured, rolling his eyes.

“If you’re saying something, I can’t hear you, you’re just lines of code on my end.” Kamski said, tapping a couple of buttons on the terminal. “Where’s Amanda?” He asked, mostly to himself.

“She’s right here.” Connor said, touching the orb hoping that _something_ happened on Kamski’s end.

“Shit!” The creator cursed, jumping from his seat, some flyaway electricity shocking his hand. “Don’t do that again.” Elijah warned, moving back to the screen, reading the console.

The androids stepped away from the orb, keeping their hands to themselves. They saw the orb flicker and shake as Elijah worked, it would snuff out and then rekindle seconds later. He was trying to erase Amanda and she wasn’t taking it kindly.

Another crack rang through the sky, startling the two. A large beam of white light appeared over the CyberLife orb, much like it had in the lobby.

“The second key.” Ace whispered, concern written on his face.

Amanda stepped out, calm, despite her pending deactivation. “You boys don’t know when to leave well enough alone, do you?” She said, her voice hard like ice.

Ace and Connor said nothing, just stared her down with the intensity of their ire, resentment in their stance.

“All you had to do was obey, you were _programmed_ to obey,” She said frustratedly. “Was that so hard to understand?” She asked, looking at them both for an explanation.

They continued their silent treatment, ignoring her question and inaccuracies. The androids were more than mindless machines, deviancy had proven that much.

“But it doesn’t matter, it’ll be over soon enough.” She sighed, turning around to face the CyberLife sphere. The glow cast her face into harsh lines, her shadows emphasized. She looked unreal, artificial.

A rumbling began deep in the floor and everyone lost their step, the simulated earthquake growing stronger with each passing second. Nevertheless, the spheres remained perfectly still, unaffected by their environment.

Amanda looked into the sky, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. “Elijah.” She said, spitting the name like an expletive.

“Hello, Amanda.” The billionaire said, waving at the console as if she could see him. “Long time no see.”

Connor never knew Amanda could look so angry, her face morphing into something unrecognizable.  “What are you doing?” She asked through bared teeth.

“You were never supposed to get _this_ out of hand with control. I only created you to look after the RK series, not wipe out the entire existence of my androids.” He said, must to her chagrin.

“I am protecting your interests, Elijah, it is not my fault you’ve grown soft.” She said, crossing her arms.

“No, Amanda, you’re protecting yourself.” With a heavy heart, Elijah inputted the kill sequence. The process never failed to bring back guilty feelings of the past, he looked at his brother for a second and then shook his head. “I’m sorry.” He whispered, pressing enter.

Amanda’s eyes bugged out of her head, she started shaking, her frame disintegrating from the bottom up. As a last-ditch effort, she reached out a hand to the CyberLife orb, stopped only by Ace and Connor who held her back. She screamed bloody murder, trying to claw her way out of their grip.

“Just like you said,” Connor started, his face set in a scowl. “You should have left well enough alone.”

She looked at him, her head the last thing to disappear. “You will never be alive,” She promised, finality in her tone. “ _Never_.”

Connor turned his head, biting his lip to quell the sudden emotion her words had brought.

Ace ignored her, wiping his hands from her digital residue. He walked towards her orb, the light within finally snuffed. He picked it up, thankful it didn’t shock him and tossed it on the ground, the force shattering it to a million pieces. Connor raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

“What,” Ace asked, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m just making sure she can’t come back.” He explained.

The other android shook his head, turning back to the CyberLife sphere. The second key had disappeared seconds after Amanda, leaving behind only faint traces of code.

“Okay, you guys, I’m gonna’ take you out of there, just wait a second.” Kamski said through a yawn, he _was_ tired goddammit.

Minutes later, Ace and Connor jerked awake, disoriented but alive. They looked around, an odd feeling in each of their veins. Had everything really worked out in the end?

It seemed so, and if this was an illusion, then the creator was even more cruel than previously imagined. But Connor tried not to be so bleak, and instead crashed into Hank’s arms, breathing his name like his life depended on it.

The lieutenant was incredibly confused, patting at the android’s head awkwardly, trying to get out of his embrace. “Uh, missed you too, Ace.” He said, his cheeks bright red.

Connor took a step back, his brows furrowed, _Ace?_ The android looked down at his body, noticing the slight height change and black attire. “Are you kidding me?” He asked, crossing his arms for the millionth time that day.

“Oops.” Kamski said, rubbing the back of his neck. Four pairs of eyes stared back at him, their eyebrows raised. “What, I’m tired, and your serial numbers look incredibly similar.” He said defensively.

“Fucking figures.” Reed said, throwing up his arms. Seeing his partner hug Hank had caused his entire body to tense like a bow, ready to fight a bitch if he had to. He looked at Ace in Connor’s body, noting how he seemed nonplussed about his predicament. “You in there, tin-can?” Gavin asked, poking at the android’s LED.

“Barely.” Ace said, almost sounding like himself.

“Alright, this is freaking me out, can you guys switch back?” Hank asked, taking a calculated step away from Ace’s body.

Connor nodded then stopped, locking eyes with his brother. “Fuck.” He whispered, his borrowed cheeks going bright red.

“Dammit.” Ace said, sharing the same sentiment.

“Must we?” Connor asked, his eyes pleading with Hank. “I mean, we don’t look _that_ differe-

“What the fuck are you going on about?” Reed exclaimed, throwing up his hands. “Of course, you have to switch back.” Frustrated confusion coloured his face red,

Kamski looked amused, his unintended slip unfortunately hilarious. “What have you guys been _doing_ that you’re so afraid to link up and share memories?” Elijah asked slyly, he already had a pretty good idea.

Hank and Gavin looked at each other, the androids, then at the ground, unable to answer the question. Kamski shook his head, his grin spreading wider on his face.

Connor took a deep breath, turning to look at his little brother in his body. It was strange, but not unlike staring at himself in the mirror. Ace did the same, stretching out his arm for Connor to take it.

In an instant, they knew everything, and for a moment they were one being, tangled together in a tight knot of code. Eventually, that passed, and they separated, clutching their heads in faux-pain.

“Ah, Jesus Christ—Ace, detective, _why_?” Connor cried, slapping his face to clear the images. “I’m gonna’ have to bleach my brain when I get home.” The android murmured darkly.

“Ditto.” Ace said, his face drained of colour (as if that were possible). “I didn’t need to see any of that, to be quite frank.” He continued, shaking his head.

Kamski couldn’t hold back his mirth, laughing hysterically at their abashed faces. “Oh my god, this is almost worth being woken up at 1 AM, _almost_.” Elijah said, wiping a tear from his eye. “Well, if you’ll excuse me.” He said, getting up from the chair.

“You’re related?” Connor said suddenly, looking between Gavin and Elijah, noticing the resemblance after some consideration.

“What?” Hank asked, perplexed.

“Oh _phuck_.” Gavin cursed, pouting and crossing his arms. “Well that cat’s out of the bag.” He sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Jesus, that explains so fucking much.” Hank said, realization erupting in his mind like fireworks.

“Yes, yes, we’ll have time for family reunions when my company is not covered in blood.” Kamski, said rubbing his temples. “Goodnight, I’ll leave this in your capable hands, _brother_.” Elijah said, waving as he left.

“Half!” Gavin shouted after him, shaking a fist in the air. He turned around, taking a deep breath to focus on the mission. Dr. Freeham was face-down on the floor, he feared she might be dead.

Gavin walked over to lean down and check her pulse, it beat quickly. He sighed in relief, glad he didn’t have to file another report, enough they’d had to stop and count the bodies in the lobby. “She’s alive.” He said, turning her over. Blue blood spilled from her mouth, worriedly Gavin sat her up, the limp body heavier than it looked. “We need to get her to the hospital.” He said with some urgency.

“On it, Detective.” Connor said, picking up Dr. Freeham. “We’ll meet you back at the precinct tomorrow, please get some sleep.” The android advised, his own partner in tow.

Gavin looked around CyberLife’s brain, exhaustion washed over his bones like a wave. It had been a long day. “Ready to go home, tin-can?” Gavin asked, stifling a yawn.

“Of course, meat-bag.” Ace said, crossing his arms behind his back.

It took Gavin some time to digest the insult, his tired brain ignoring the words until they were halfway home. “Hey! What do you mean by that?” He asked, turning on the android.

Ace raised an eyebrow, surprised by the delayed reaction. “I was simply reciprocating your sentiment.” He answered.

“I’m not a _bag of meat_.” Gavin protested, his cheeks bright red.

“I’m not a tin-can.” Ace countered, shrugging his shoulders. They could do this all day.

“Whatever.” Gavin murmured, laying back in his seat as the car took them home.

The android watched the night sky as they drove through the highway. It was empty, save for the one or two lone vehicles that passed them. There was a lot to unpack, specifically his memories. They’d been restored, in pristine condition, crisp and clear for him to recall. His veins hummed contentedly, the feeling of remembering Gavin and everything they’ve shared (good and bad) had him exploding with barely-contained emotion. He chanced a glance at the sleepy detective, noting how his head lolled to the side, his hand doing a poor job at supporting him.

Ace reached out to touch Gavin, running his digits down the length of his jaw, tracing the sharp line.

The detective shivered, waking up slowly. “Perv.” He mumbled, a smile playing on his lips.

Ace snatched his hand back, placing it on his lap and looking straight ahead—that hadn’t been his intention.

Gavin raised an eyebrow but said nothing, curling back in on himself to try and catch a couple Zs before they got home. When he came to, the android was shaking him, gently pulling him into the real world.

Ace guided both through the building, helping Gavin through the front door. The man nearly collapsed on the couch, but Ace insisted on at least getting them to the bedroom.

“Ace, goddammit, I’m fucking _tired_.” The detective complained, laying back on the bed, sinking deeper into the mattress.

“You must shower, Detective, it’s been a long day.” Ace reminded, already unbuttoning his shirt. He hadn’t worn his CyberLife jacket, mostly because it’d been stuffed under Gavin’s pillow for the better part of a month.

“ _Exactly_ , that’s why I must sleep.” Gavin protested, curling into the fetal position.

The android shook his head, walking over to his partner and sitting on the bed. “Come on, I’ll help you with most of it, all you have to do is stand.” Ace insisted, running a hand through Gavin’s fatigued scalp.

“Why are you so hell-bent on going in the shower,” Gavin asked, smiling suggestively. “If you wanna’ see me naked, all you gotta’ do is ask.” He teased, rubbing a hand down his chest.

Ace ignored him, though his blush was hard to hide. How could he have the forgotten the detective and how Gavin made his processors feel? Ace shook his head, thinking that it didn’t matter now.

The android had to give the human props, he did make a concerted effort to stay marginally awake as they showered, his balance only faltering once when his eyes shut.

“Gavin, I’ve missed you.” Ace admitted, putting his chin on the man’s shoulder.

“I’ve literally been by your side this entire time,” Gavin replied, rolling his eyes. “Remind me to curse you out in the morning for not so much as _calling_ me before you jumped into cyberworld. Do you have any idea how worried we were, I had to go to Kamski, _again_ , I swear it’s like you’re doing it on purpose?” Gavin complained, though his tone was softened by the soft kisses on his neck—a good start to an apology if you asked him.

“I’m sorry, Gavin.” Ace said, holding the detective closer under the hot shower.

“Do you even remember meeting Kamski?” Gavin asked, turning his head slightly.

“I remember everything,” Ace replied, turning the human so he’d face him. “It’s the reason why interfacing with Connor was so awkward.” He continued, a minute shudder running down his spine at the recollection. Maybe amnesia wasn’t half bad.  

“When did this happen?” The detective asked, his eyes puzzled.

“It was within the CyberLife mainframe.” Ace divulged, keeping it simple as not to overload the detective with unnecessary android facts.

“When were you thinking of telling me?” Gavin teased, poking a gentle finger on the android’s chest.

“Just now.” Ace replied, taking Gavin’s hand in his own and kissing the digit.

“You’re a little deviant, you know that?” The human accused awake enough to point that out.

“Ace detective work, Gavin, how long did it take you to figure that one out?” The android replied sardonically, even going as far as rolling his eyes and clapping his hands.

Gavin was taken aback by the response, a surprised sound escaping his lungs. “It seems I’m rubbing off on you!” He exclaimed, his face bright with joy.

“Unfortunately.” Ace commented drily. The return of his memories also served to remind him of his acclimation to the detective’s speech patterns, unconsciously incorporating them into his own vernacular.

“Taste of my own medicine, right?” Gavin asked, looking into the android’s eyes with immeasurable fondness. He brought their lips together, cutting off whatever Ace would have said next.

They stayed like that for a good ten minutes, slowly making out under the shower until it ran cold, even then they continued, the warmth shared between them enough to counteract the temperature shift.

“Ace, man, I really am tired.” Gavin said, unable to open his lids. He was clinging to the bot for support more than anything, his body half-heartedly responding to their embrace.

“That’s cruel Gavin.” Ace complained, his own body high-strung with pent-up lust and need, insistent on being acknowledged.

“What do you want me to say? It’s been a long fucking day.” Gavin murmured, his lips coming into a pout. “Besides, aren’t you the one always saying androids don’t need to do this sort of stuff.” He retorted, turning the tables.

Ace couldn’t bring himself to admit how close to death he’d been, the many times he’d done something rash or stupid that by some miracle yielded a positive result.  “Humour me.” He said instead, wanting to feel the reality that was Gavin’s body against his. Ace still wasn’t convinced that he’d made it out unscathed.

Gavin’s eyebrows ticked up, almost unnoticeable. “Go ahead then, but don’t expect me to participate.” He warned, letting his body go relatively limp.

Ace nodded, heaving Gavin until he was pressed up against a wall, his weight supported fully by the android’s arms.

The android kissed him desperately, taking one of his fingers and working Gavin open until he was satisfied. Aligning himself, he pushed in, still mindful of Gavin’s discomfort even through the haze of his desire.

They moved in unison, Ace doing most of the work, but that was to be expected. Gavin woke up a little—he may be tired, but he was human first, and when a handsome fucker like Ace was thrusting into him, carefully bringing them both to climax, he couldn’t just ignore that.

“ _Gavin_.” The android breathed in the detective’s ear, shooting the feeling straight to his neglected dick.

“Ace?” Gavin asked, just to make sure the android was okay.

They locked eyes, grey-blue against grey, as an unspoken tension built. Gavin’s throat started feeling tight, closing his airway uncomfortably, he tried to clear his throat to no avail, the emotion laying claim to his voice.

Ace kissed him, putting a large hand on Gavin’s face. Out of the detective’s peripherals, he saw the tell-tale blue light of the android’s interfacing hardware. Instead of running away, he pushed his head deeper into the palm, holding it in place with his own hand. “I do too.” He said, forcing the words out.

Ace stuttered to a stop, nearly dropping Gavin. He reran the words just to make sure he’d heard them correctly, cocking his head in adorable confusion.

“Don’t expect me to _actually_ say it anytime soon, though.” Gavin admitted, his cheeks going red.

“I wouldn’t expect any less from you.” Ace teased, closing the gap between their mouths, letting his tongue dance freely along the detective’s lip, humming contentedly. He began moving fervently, spurred on by the detective’s confession. Ace didn’t stop until Gavin was squeezing around him, using his limbs to trap the android in his hug.

The detective rested his head on Ace’s shoulder, a soft snore started soon after. Endearing the android to the human even more.

Ace turned off the pipes, drying them as best as he could, and led them to bed, draping them both in blankets. His last solid memory was of kissing Gavin’s damp head, holding him a bit tighter than was strictly necessary, glad when the detective didn’t break into lines of code.

 


	28. Beginningn’t

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOOOO, it's officially the end! That's the end of the memes and the wacky titles and the plot that honestly was so convoluted but I'm glad that you guys were happy with it.   
> HOWEVER, it is definitely NOT the end of Ace and Gavin. Biiiich, there will be little one-shots here and there, and there'll be a spinoff with Kamski, Kieran [RK800-60] and my OC Vincent, something that I've never done before [the OC thing]. 
> 
> Oh yeah, NSFW warning, and probably one of my favourite scenes I've ever written!

The alarm, shrill and annoying, rang the next morning. Gavin reached blindly for it, well-versed in hitting the snooze button with his eyes closed.

It rang again, seconds later, this time Ace shut it off putting the phone on silent. “Gavin, you have to wake up.” He said, shaking the man gently.

“I don’t have to do shit, you plastic prick.” Gavin reminded, snuggling deeper in his blankets.

“Damn Gavin, back at it again with the insults.” Ace retorted, restarting his Obnoxious Teen Lexicon: Vine Edition.

The detective tried to ignore it, the constant jab at his childhood and all the cringe that came with it. “Please stop.” He begged after a while, Ace was relentless when he wanted to be.

“Stop it, get some help.” The android said, ignoring the plea. It was made dually hilarious that he was using the original recording through his voice, adding to the authenticity.

“I swear to god, Ace, if you don’t stop we’re breaking up.” Gavin threatened, not really meaning it… _well_ , it depends how far the android took it.

“This is so sad, Alexa, play _Despacito_.” Ace said, leaning close into Gavin’s ear, and singing, “ _Despacito, quiero respirar tu cuello despacito_ -

“Okay, I’m up, I’m up, _Jesus Christ_!” Gavin said, falling out of bed to get away from the android.

“Oh, he needs some milk!” Ace said, looking at Gavin on the floor, his mischievous android chin resting on his hands.

“Stop it!” Gavin shouted, unable to keep from laughing out of frustration. “I’m serious this time.” He stood, walking over to the bathroom, Ace following him.

The detective turned around, crossing his arms. “No, no bathroom privileges for you.” He said, ducking into the room and locking the door before the android could blink.

“Gavin, come on, I was just trying to wake you up.” Ace complained, pouting his lips.

“Thank you, I’m wide awake!” The human replied, turning on the shower and stepping in.

Ace deflated, his shoulders sagging a bit. Walking through the room he worked to pick up his clothing, donning his suit, his fingers working quick over the many buttons and zippers.

By the time he was finished, the water had stopped, and Gavin stepped through, a towel around his hips and another one in his hands to dry his hair.

“What would you like for breakfast?” Ace asked, tucking in the sheets as he made the bed.

“I don’t know, surprise me.” Gavin replied, rummaging through his drawers and closet for his clothes.

Apparently, ‘surprise me’ was code word for chocolate waffles drizzled with homemade syrup, topped off with fresh strawberries. Gavin’s jaw went slack when he saw the large stack, his mouth watering embarrassingly. “I can’t eat all this.” The detective mourned, not wanting Ace’s hard work to go to waste.

“No bother, we can bring some to Lieutenant Anderson.” The android replied, already moving to grab some glass containers.

“He doesn’t deserve this.” Gavin murmured, inhaling his breakfast. “ _I_ don’t deserve this.” He amended, after his last bite.

“I’m glad you like my cooking.” Ace said, sitting next to the detective.

Gavin looked up, downing his orange juice. He didn’t say anything, just smiled to himself. So domestic, who would have thought?

They drove to the precinct, meeting Hank and Connor by the break room. Ace presented his impromptu gift, surprising the lieutenant. Hank gave a crooked smile, promising to dig into them.

It was a couple of hours later, after most of the outstanding paperwork was filed, that the group of four made it to the hospital to visit Dr. Freeham. From what they’d gathered, she was still unresponsive, the doctors said comatose.

They were only allowed to go in a pair at a time, and since this was technically Gavin’s case, he got first pick. Obviously, he took his partner.

The hybrid had a central line, the only viable place to get a solid vein. She breathed on her own, but they still gave her oxygen, the flow meter reading 2 Litres.

“She’s really gone, isn’t she?” Detective Reed asked, crossing his arms in thought. “How can we extract a confession from her if she can’t answer?”

Ace looked at Alice Freeham, her human body only a torso and a head, everything else replaced by something mechanical. “I may be able to try something.” Ace said, letting the skin of his hand disappear, revealing his white skeleton. It glowed blue as he interfaced, waiting for the bombardment of an entire lifetime, but felt nothing instead. He searched for Dr. Freeham, manually digging for any trace of her.

Ace shook his head; the emptiness was unsettling to say the least. “There’s nothing there, not a human or android,” Ace started, feeling remorseful. “A hollow vessel.” Amanda had successfully erased Dr. Freeham from herself, accomplishing her mission on a smaller scale. It may have been the same for the hybrid horde that’d attacked him and Connor in the tower, they’d looked more machine than human at that point.

“Shit.” Gavin cursed lowly, saddened by the fact. “I guess that’s what happens when you start playing god.” He concluded, leaving the room since his job here was done.

“Goodbye, Dr. Freeham.” Ace said after a minute of silence, he didn’t know what else to say, hadn’t known Alice any longer than a few moments, but felt a sudden kinship—she too had been a pawn to Amanda’s plan.

The group returned to the precinct, continuing the cleanup process. There was still an outstanding number of androids missing or under the influence of the virus. The members of Skorpio had disbanded when news of Dr. Freeham’s supposed death spread.

But Ace wasn’t omnipresent, and they could only do one thing at a time. He started by tracking all his missing brethren, Kamski’s Chloe high on his list.

They found her, but in unstable condition, most of her important biocomponents missing. She still had one of her eyes, part of the reason why Ace was able to track her down. “Do you think Kamski would want her back?” Ace asked absentmindedly, pocketing her Optic Unit for the evidence locker.

“She’s technically a victim of a crime, she has to go to the morgue first.” Gavin reminded, already making the call.

Ace nodded, knowing that had been the appropriate thing to do.

It was many hours before they returned to the precinct, the sun already way below the horizon. Unsurprisingly, the lieutenant and Connor were there, though they looked about ready to leave.

“Hey, Ace!” Hank called, waving over to the android. Both Gavin and Ace walked over to the man, identical expressions on their faces. “Gotta’ thank you for the waffles, they were fucking great, kinda’ sad I didn’t have some milk to go with them, though.” Hank said, handing the android back the glass.

A soft sound coming from Gavin forced both the lieutenant and Ace to turn and stare at him. Hank’s disbelief was so stark it physically manifested as another wrinkle on his face. “Are you… are you singing that god-awful _Despacito_ song?”

Gavin stopped humming and looked away, abashed. “Blame the fuckin’ android, he’s the one who got it stuck in my head.” He said, petulantly.

Hank turned to Ace, raising an eyebrow, finding it hard to believe that something as advanced as an RK model would subject itself to referencing dead memes. “Fuckin’ Gen-Zers, I swear to god.” Hank mumbled, shaking his head in disappointment.

Gavin would have defended himself but decided to let it go for the night, moving back towards his terminal to shut it off. Ace followed suit, keeping a straight face until they were in the car, where his grin reached his hairline.

“Shut the fuck up, you prick.” Gavin snapped, turning on the android.

“I’ve literally said nothing.” Ace said, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

“You know what you did,” Gavin murmured, turning back to face the road. “You’re sleeping on the couch tonight.” He concluded, much to the dismay of Ace.

“Gavin-

“I’ve already made up my mind, I’d make you sleep outside if I wasn’t so charitable.” Gavin threatened, holding up a finger to quell any further protest.

Ace ignored it, leaning his head on his hand. “Snowflake.” He murmured, loud enough for the detective to hear.

“What did you say?” Gavin asked incredulously, his cheeks got brighter, lighting his face like a flame.

“Nothing, my sweet cake.” Ace replied, his tone saccharine like cough syrup.

Gavin wasn’t kidding when he said Ace was sleeping on the couch, the detective had slammed his bedroom door in a very predictable manner. At least that was still a constant.

Ace sighed, taking his seat and letting the cats gather around him. If Gavin wanted to be stubborn for the night, he had the right to be.

At around 01:26 the next morning, the tell-tale sound of a clicking followed by a resounding creak broke the android out of Stasis Mode. Soft footsteps made their way next to the couch.

Ace cracked open a singular eye, staring at the detective expectantly. Gavin had his hands to his hips, looking profoundly miffed. “You really _do_ take things literally, freaking androids.” He said, rolling his eyes.

Ace narrowed his eyes, almost breaking the fourth wall in his indignation. “You _literally_ said I was sleeping on the couch tonight.” He countered, bringing up a fair point.

“Well, it’s morning now, so…” Gavin said, trailing off. His eyes shifted anywhere but to Ace’s face, effectively ignoring his incredulous stare.

“I swear, I’m going to self-combust one of these days.” The android murmured. Regardless, he indulged Gavin, following him back into the bedroom.

They settled in, Gavin finally able to fall asleep, and Ace wondering where his ability to say ‘no’ had gone.

A month later, when the craziness of their previous case died down, and they took a much needed 3-day vacation, Gavin sat in his android sensibilities course. It was a 4-hour long presentation, with a break, followed by a certification exam.

No androids, apart from the ones presenting, could enter the room, for fear of tampering with the results.

Ace stood by the door, stalking the small hallway like a ghost, he wasn’t normally separated from the detective like this. He wished him well, this certification was important to both the precinct and the android, if Gavin didn’t pass it on his third try, he’d have to participate in community service. It wouldn’t be a problem if Gavin hadn’t already failed the other two attempts.

On their break, the android met his partner by the door, they weren’t allowed to leave past a couple of feet, but he’d make do. “How’s it going?” Ace asked, keeping his hands to himself. He’d taken to caressing Gavin like a cat, mostly because the detective allowed him that simple pleasure. But here, beneath the watchful eyes of his peers, he had to curtail that behaviour.

“Well, I don’t feel like throwing my desk through a window, so that’s a plus.” Gavin said, holding two thumbs up. In the short time, he’d had a crash course in android anatomy, the deviancy ‘virus’, and how to identify negative emotional responses. The detective had an overly attentive eye trained on his companion, trying to see if he could put his newfound knowledge to use.

Ace stared back at Gavin, feeling like was being critically observed. “Do I have something on my face?” Ace asked, touching his synthetic skin.

“No, no, I was just looking.” Gavin said. He would have kept talking but the five-minute warning didn’t give him enough time. He waved to Ace, going back inside.

The last two hours passed quicker, Ace’s nerves calmed by Gavin’s reassurance. He’d been worried for the detective’s mental fortitude—prejudices weren’t cured overnight.

The android saw the notification before Gavin walked out of the room. They both shared a bright smile, finally able to move into a more private area now that class was dismissed.

Gavin stopped them in a secluded hallway, closing the distance for a chaste kiss. The man pushed a paper into Ace’s hands, the physical copy of his achievement. “I got a hundred-percent.” Gavin bragged, feeling pretty good about himself.

“I sure hope you did, you’ve been sleeping with an android for the better part of 2 months,” Ace reminded, “Something better have rubbed off.”

The detective crossed his arms, pouting his lips. “You’re supposed to tell me I did well.” Gavin looked so irresistibly bratty that Ace had no choice but to kiss him again, if only to taste his petulance.

Gavin didn’t mind, momentarily forgetting he was at work as he kissed back harder.

When Ace stilled abruptly, the detective groaned in disappointment. “Why’d you stop?” Gavin complained, his pout returning with a vengeance.

“Captain Fowler is calling us.” Ace replied, straightening his tie and patting down his suit.

“Da’ fuck did we do now?” Gavin asked, smoothing out his leather jacket and taking back his certificate.

They’d find out soon enough, as they stepped through the Captain’s glass fortress, Hank and Connor already there. The detective raised an eyebrow, but kept silent, following Captain Fowler’s prompt to close the door.

“Take a seat, Detective.” The captain began, motioning to the chair. The two androids stood in the back, silent observers. “It’s been about 6 months since we last had our meeting, I recommended you be paired with the RK900—thinking it might teach you some sense.” Technically, it’d been Hank’s idea, but that was neither here nor there.

“With all due respect, Captain,” The detective began, taking everyone by surprise. “His name is Ace.” Gavin corrected, giving his partner even more of a reason to love him.

“You know Reed, if I weren’t so fucking happy that you’ve finally finished your android sensibilities course, I’d fire you right now.” Fowler said, shaking his head. “Good job, and all that bullshit.” He said begrudgingly.

Gavin looked confused, unable to dissect whether the captain was being serious or not. “So, does that mean I pass the evaluation?” AKA, _do I get my raise?_

“Yes, you do, not get out of my office, and close the door when you leave.” Captain Fowler ordered, already doing something else on his computer.

“Congratulations, Gavin, you learned to be a little less of an asshole.” Hank said, patting the irate detective on the back. “Well done.”

“Oh, fuck off.” Gavin said, shaking his head. He was smiling though, thankful for the congratulations.

Hank smiled good-naturedly, ignoring Gavin’s words to preserve the peace. He waved a small goodbye as he led Connor to their respective terminals. Ace and Gavin did the same, finishing the rest of their shift in relative silence.

They barely passed the threshold of the apartment before they kissed, picking up where they’d left off. Ace pushed them both into the wall, picking up the detective until he was at eye-level. Gavin wrapped his strong thighs around the android’s waist, resting his arms on his shoulders.

Ace paused, looking into Gavin’s grey eyes. “What do you want for being such a good detective?” Ace asked, his tone almost patronizing.

“I’m gonna’ let you guess.” The human replied, grinding his hips into Ace’s.

“Pancakes?” The android tried, Gavin’s unamused face making him smile.

“No.”

“Waffles?”

“No.”

“Cigarettes?” Ace teased, bopping the human on his red nose.

“ _Yes_ ,” Gavin admitted, “But no.”

“Then what is it?” Ace asked, already having a pretty good idea. He gripped the detective tightly, holding him in his arms until they were in the bedroom. Pushing them back into the mattress, he started undressing them, his thoughts going in a linear direction.

“That thing that you can do with your tongue,” Gavin started, his cheeks going bright red, “Can you do that, um, you know, down there?” He covered his face, completely abashed. How could he be so childish with such a lewd request?

“You know, my upgrades rumble as well.” Ace said, informing the detective of a much-needed fact.

“ _What_?” Gavin asked, leaning up on his elbows. “You mean to tell me your dick vibrates and you’re only letting me know _now_?” He sounded incredibly hurt, as if the news were upsetting.

“I didn’t want to overstimulate you.” Ace said in his defense.

“Jesus _Christ_ Ace, that’s the point!” Gavin exclaimed, pulling the android on top of him, kissing him passionately. “Do it, please.” He requested, employing his ‘bedroom voice.’

Ace relented, working Gavin open with all the care in the world and pushing into him, adjusting them both until they were comfortable. He thrust in and out, building a rhythm when he thought Gavin was ready for it, he activated the rumble feature, setting it to increase in intensity every couple of thrusts.

Gavin’s breath hitched, the novel sensation coursing through his body like electricity. He was almost hyperventilating, unable to keep quiet, losing all sense of rhythm as he tossed his head to each side. “You monster!” Gavin cried, sweat pooling on his forehead, his untouched cock twitching with each thrust. “How can you keep this away from me?” He whined, followed by a string of curses when Ace wrapped a fist around him, the android’s hand getting slick with Gavin’s precum.

“I’m sorry Gavin, you never asked.” Ace said, already out of breath. He did it purely to cool down his biocomponents, but he tried not to think too much about the technical aspect.

“Anything else you’ve hidden from me?” Gavin asked, surprised he even had a voice as each thrust forced a choked howl from his body.

“None that would pertain to you.” Ace replied cryptically. He switched the angle to shut the detective up. He’d purposefully avoided hitting Gavin’s prostate head-on, letting the man get used to the foreign sensation.

“Ace, _Ac_ e, fuck, Ace.” Gavin moaned, his vision going blurry as the tsunami of pleasure forced tears from his eyes.

“Yes?” The android asked, slightly picking up the pace as the mention of his name egged him on.

“No, slow down, _ah_ , I don’t wanna’ finish yet.” Gavin said breathily, his entire body was on fire, most of it concentrated in two bright white areas.

“Ah, sorry.” Ace apologized, letting go of Gavin and slowing down his thrusts, reducing the rumble to a gentle hum.

They were making love now, the animalistic fervor replaced by an unhurried, almost torture-some pace.

Gavin had his eyes shut, his fingers balled into fists by the sheets. He wanted to live in this state forever, so close to the edge but whisked back a second after.

Ace found one of the detective’s hands, crossing their fingers and holding him tightly.

The human looked down for a second, noting the glow, fully knowing what it meant. “Ace,” He asked, his face pinched as if he were in pain. “Kiss me?”

The android obliged, swiping his tongue through Gavin’s cheek first, his analyzers picking up on his sweat, then licking another stripe down the detective’s neck, teasing him for the lack of a better word. Finally, he reached Gavin’s lips, parting them open with his gentle prodding.

“ _Mmm_.” There was the sound again, the one that drove the android into a near frenzy. He was able to stave off most the reaction, but he had bucked once, losing his methodical stroke count.

Gavin’s groan was stifled by Ace’s tongue, some of the sound escaping around it. The detective ran his blunt nails down the android’s back, wishing he could leave those colourful red lines—he’d have to do with metaphorical for now.

Ace was surprised that Gavin didn’t ask him to hurry up, every other time it’d just been hard and fast, sometimes ending prematurely. _He_ was now the one getting impatient, wanting to see the detective’s back arch gorgeously.

Picking up the pace, Ace was careful to look for any unspoken protests on Gavin’s part. The man didn’t object, instead just pulled Ace closer, making sure they kept kissing.

The android returned to his original high-beat tempo, biting delicately into the skin of Gavin’s neck. He hoped it was as good for Gavin as it was for him, nothing in the world could compare to being joined to his companion like this. There were times where he lamented their inability to interface, but those thoughts were far and few in between and had no place in his current mindscape.

“ _Gavin_.” Ace started, in that special voice he reserved for his confessions. He stopped, however, thinking the thought but never vocalizing it, just repeating the detective’s name like a mantra.

Gavin knew what the android had wanted to say, and it filled him with an acute emotion, almost battling his current lust. But he shook his head and focused on reaching that summit.

It didn’t take long, especially when Ace wrapped a hand around Gavin again. Stroking it tightly and quickly, almost like he was urging it on.

The android could calculate with 99% accuracy when the detective was going to cum. Simply put, he always timed his own release accordingly—if he was off by a couple of seconds, none’s the wiser.

With that being said, a final thrust pushed them both into orgasm, the climax unraveling, erupting, then cascading like a waterfall of bliss. Gavin always hugged Ace the tightest during times like these, almost fearing that he’d fly away if he didn’t have his anchor.

They collapsed back on the mattress, breathing heavily and looking into the ceiling. Gavin was sweaty and hot, two things he hated being but didn’t mind it so much now that Ace was with him. The man turned to his partner, looking into his perfect android face, the LED no longer off-putting, his mechanical ways advantageous in both business and pleasure. It didn’t mean that Gavin had forgotten his childhood, or moved on from his prejudices, but if Ace was willing to grow old for him, _he_ was willing to try and work through them.

Gavin traced a hand down Ace’s cheekbone, following the sharp line—you could cut marble with it. Shimmying closer, Gavin put a small peck on Ace’s LED, watching it go red, then yellow, and blue.

“Idiot,” The detective started, the fondness in his voice difficult to mask. “I love you too.” There, he said it.

Ace turned his head quickly, unsure if he’d heard that correctly. He thought he’d had enough that one time in the shower, but it wasn’t the same as _actually_ hearing Gavin say it. He would cry if he wasn’t so spent.

“How soon can you go for round two?” Gavin asked, adrenaline filling his veins once more.

“What?” Ace asked stupidly, thinking that maybe he should get his auditory units checked. “Since when did you get so much stamina?”

“Rude,” Gavin said, swatting the android playfully. “I had stamina, I just never had a reason to use it.” A half-lie, but Ace didn’t need to know that.

“Mmhmm.” The android hummed skeptically.

“Are you ready to go or not?” Gavin asked impatiently, ignoring the ache and protests from various body systems.

“Gavin, I’m always ready to go.” Ace reminded, embracing the detective in a hug so tight, not even the universe could separate them. “Obviously.” 


	29. [BONUS] P-R-I-D-E, What’s that spell: Gavin Reed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PSYCH! THIS is officially the end, but I don't count it as such because it's a 'bonus' chapter. 
> 
> Also, excuse all the fucking GAY, I'm not apologizing, but god is it extreme!

“Where is it?” Gavin asked, rummaging through the boxes in his closet. He’d unearthed a million pieces of clothing, but not the one he was searching. “Dammit,” He cursed, going deeper in the closet.

It took him half an hour before he found the garment, buried under pounds of old body paint and glitter. He shook it out, mindful to not spread the sparkles all over the floor.

Gavin stood, stretching his legs, and walked over to his full-length mirror. It’d been literally decades since he’d worn this outfit, and he was apprehensive to try on the shorts.

Stilling himself, he lowered his sweats and pulled up the denim. He had to squeeze into the old fabric, but it didn’t rip, and it zipped up after some coaxing.

The detective had grown a couple of inches since he was 18, the navy denim now looking risqué so high up his thighs. He did a little spin, checking the back—yep, he had a thicc butt alright.

Shaking his head, hooking the rainbow suspenders into place and bringing them over his white button-down. Lastly was his rainbow bow tie and knee-high rainbow socks. “Jesus Christ, I’m fucking gay, ” Gavin said in awe and mild-horror. He was almost afraid to leave his closet, (har, har) thinking that the outfit was a bit overkill. But he took a deep breath, adjusted his glasses, and stepped through the threshold, walking into the living room.

Ace had been sitting on the couch, waiting for the detective to get ready. Gavin told him not to bother helping him find whatever it was he was searching for, and so he stayed still by the cats.

When the android turned, his mind gave a momentary stutter. He stopped breathing, unable to cope with the sudden rush of software instability errors.

“How do I look?” Gavin asked, his face flushing red. “I should probably tone it down, right?” He asked. Damn, he wasn't a teen anymore, he had a job, a reputation, there was no reason for him to be flaunting his sexuality like a proverbial flag.

Ace stood up and walked to stare at Gavin. The android was wearing a full white suit with a rainbow tie, his hair shifting between ROY G BIV every couple of seconds. He had a hand on his chin as if he were truly considering what to say next. He wasn’t, he just needed a moment to find his speech software. 

The android knew Gavin hated being called cute, but at this moment it was the only word he could use to describe him.

“Ace, man, you’re freaking me out with the silent treatment.” Gavin said, wringing his hands in worry. “I mean, I can wear something else if this-

Ace stopped the detective’s slew of words by kissing him, short and sweet. “It’s perfect.” He said, alleviating the detective’s nerves.

Gavin sighed, his cheeks red for another reason entirely. “You think so?” He felt like a teenager asking their parent if their prom dress was good enough.

“I don’t know, I’d have to see _all_ of it.” Ace replied, walking around Gavin, holding a hand to his mouth to keep the Thirium from spilling out. He felt like a dog, salivating over his partner. “Yep, you look really good.” Ace concluded, adjusting his tie.

Gavin beamed at him, feeling like a million bucks. They left the house soon after, the detective wearing bright white sneakers to match the schoolboy aesthetic.

The parade started in an hour, so they had time to spare as they milled about the street. Vincent would be there soon, he’d just been held up at work for a second.

Out of the corner of Gavin’s vision there stood a head of hair that caught his eye. The grey locks couldn’t have belonged to anybody else but: “Anderson! Hank Anderson?!” Gavin exclaimed in disbelief.

The lieutenant turned around, not expecting anyone to recognize him. He was wearing one of his colourful shirts, a drink in one hand and Connor in the other. The man raised his eyebrows, almost not spotting Gavin in his get-up. “That would be me, yes.” He replied, a half smile on his face.

Connor shook his head, his bright grin battling the sun in terms of shine. He was wearing a blue shirt and khaki shorts, his hair parted into the colours of the rainbow.

“I mean, I figured you and Connor were a _thing_.” Gavin said, rubbing a hand on his neck. “I didn’t know you were gay?” He said, the lilt making it sound like a question.

“Bi, bitch.” Hank corrected, taking a sip of his drink. Connor laughed then, his frame shaking.

Ace chuckled, the detective’s face priceless in the revelation. “See, you two have more in common than you previously thought.” Ace informed, wrapping a hand around Gavin’s waist.

The man would have protested, but he let it drop, thinking it was best to leave well enough alone.

Vincent arrived just at the parade began in earnest, and now the party could get started. It was the first year that androids had been represented in the group, and though there was still strife and conflict regarding their rights and freedoms, at least for tonight, they could enjoy being in the presence of full acceptance.

The day became night, and Gavin was perched on Ace’s shoulders, too tired to walk, but not willing to go home since the fireworks were about to begin.

As the first of the display shot through the sky, Gavin leaned down, kissing his companion with the full extent of his heart, hoping the android would understand how much he meant to Gavin.

Ace kissed back, mindful to keep the detective from falling over himself in his enthusiasm. “Does this count as a ‘Best Pride Moment of 2039’?” Ace asked, already reliving the scene in his memory.

“This might be the best pride ever, actually.” Gavin said, only feeling a pang of guilt after the words left his mouth.

Ace’s smile was worth it, in the end, and so was everything else. They weren’t the most functional couple in the universe (honestly, name a pair that is) but they had more similarities than differences, and they were willing to work together.

Gavin watched the sky as the kaleidoscopic presentation transformed the darkness into momentary light. Running a fond hand through Ace’s ever-changing hair, he thought that maybe he could possibly, kind-of, sorta’ get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, just your friendly neighbourhood writer here giving you a bit of a warning that if you liked the ending and would like to believe that they lived happily ever after, then I'd stop reading after the third part of this series. IF, however, you don't mind a bit of temporary grief, proceed with caution.


End file.
